In a significant move aimed at easing visa rules, the European Union has announced that Indian nationals can apply for a multiple-entry Schengen visa with longer validity.
As per the new rule, Indian nationals can now be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after having obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years, the Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan said in a statement.
“This new visa ‘cascade’ regime for Indian nationals residing in India who apply for Schengen (short-stay) visas in India will provide easier access to visas with multi-year validity for travellers with an established travel history, if the passport validity allows,” the European Union (EU) statement said.
The announcement was shared by Hervé Delphin, Ambassador, Delegation of European Union to India, who in a post on X, said, “European Union takes another step towards enhancing people-to-people contact with India.”
Travel to Europe made easy! ✈️
⁰🇪🇺 takes another step towards enhancing people-to-people contact with 🇮🇳.⁰New #Schengen #visa regime gives 🇮🇳 frequent travellers access to multi-year visa (up to 5 y.) Europe delivers on the partnership!
Know More 👉 https://t.co/6EzlUF8jrR pic.twitter.com/ELhZdCfI83
— Hervé Delphin (@EUAmbIndia) April 22, 2024
It also said that the two-year visa will normally be followed by a five-year visa, if the passport has sufficient validity.
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The statement added that during the validity period of these visas, holders enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals.
The development will bring in changes to the Schengen Short Stay Visa in which a traveller is allowed to travel to 29 European Union nations for a period not exceeding 90 days during any 180-day period. The visas are not purpose-bound and allows the user to visit EU states for the purpose of tourism, short stay, visiting family and friends. However, it doesn’t grant the holder the right to work.
The 29 nations in Schengen area include European countries- Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
“This decision comes in the context of strengthened relations under the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility, which seeks comprehensive cooperation on migration policy between the EU and India, with facilitation of people-to-people contacts being of key aspect due to the importance of India as a partner for the EU,” the EU statement added.
