The rules have not changed. In order to apply for a short stay visa to the EU, applicants must present:

• A filled in and signed visa application form.
• A passport issued in the last 10 years and valid for at least 3 months after the end of the stay.
• An identity photograph.
• Proof of possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance.
• Supporting documents relating to the purpose of the stay, evidence of means of support during the stay and accommodation.

Applicants must also pay the visa fee and, where applicable, have their fingerprints collected.

Do visa applicants need a travel medical insurance when travelling to the EU?

Yes, visa applicants must present a valid travel medical insurance when applying for a visa, as it was already the case under the previous rules.

What is the amount of the visa fee? What will the increased visa fee be used for?

The visa fee increases from €60 to €80. This increase is the first one since 2006 and it brings the fee broadly in line with the level where it would be today if it had been aligned to the general EU-wide inflation rate since 2006*.

The €60 fee no longer adequately covered the administrative costs (such as staffing, premises and equipment) for offering adequate service to the constantly growing numbers of applications. The increase in the visa fee will ensure there are sufficient financial resources to maintain a wide consular coverage worldwide and reinforce consular staff, speed up the application process and provide better quality service for travellers, upgrade IT equipment and software, and improve the capacity to detect potential security and irregular migration risks.

Importantly, for regular travellers, the fee increase will be partly offset by the new rules on long-validity visas: these travellers may actually save money under the new provisions, since they have to apply for visas less often.

Over the past years, the EU has been stepping up activities to support the Member States in returning people who have no right to stay in Europe. Even though readmission of own nationals is an obligation under international law, Member States have experienced difficulties in returning irregular migrants.

The revised visa rules introduce a new mechanism linking visa policy and cooperation on readmission. This will bring an important element into the EU's discussions with partner countries.

Under the new rules, the Commission will conduct a regular assessment of how non-EU countries cooperate on readmission, taking into account indicators such as:

• The number of return decisions issued to citizens of a given non-EU country.
• The number of actual returns as a percentage of the number of return decisions issued.
• The number of readmission requests accepted by the non-EU country as a percentage of the number of requests submitted to it.
• The level of practical cooperation in the different stages of the return procedure, including as regards the assistance provided in the identification of persons irregularly staying in the EU and the timely issuance of travel documents.

Member States which encounter substantial and persistent readmission problems with a given non-EU country may also notify the Commission of such a situation. In such cases, the Commission must assess the notification within one month.

On this basis, the Commission, together with the Member States, can establish a more restrictive and temporary implementation of certain provisions of the Visa Code for the processing of visa applications from nationals of the country in question, such as the processing time, the length of validity of visas, the level of the visa fee and the fee waivers.

If a third country cooperates sufficiently on readmission and taking account of the Union's overall relations with the third country concerned, the Commission may also propose a more generous implementation of certain provisions of the Visa Code (lower visa fee, quicker processing times, and multiple-entry visas with longer validity to be agreed upon by the Member States in the Council).

More restrictive implementation of certain procedural rules and the general rules on the issuing of multiple-entry visas will not call into question applicants' basic right to submit an application for a visa or to be granted a visa.

When the Commission, together with the Member States, decides that the mechanism should be triggered, the restrictive implementation of certain rules will be adapted to the particular situation in each non EU-country. This could have an impact on the processing time, the length of validity of the visa to be issued, the level of the visa fee to be charged and the fee waivers.

No. In 2019, the Visa Regulation was amended to grant UK nationals visa-free travel to the EU after the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union. This means that UK nationals will remain visa-free when travelling to the EU for short stays, so the revised visa rules will not apply to them.

Short-term Schengen Visa (3 months and less)

In June 1985, seven European Union countries signed a treaty in "Schengen", a town in Luxembourg, to end internal border checkpoints and controls. More countries have joined the treaty over the years. Under the Schengen Agreement, common rules regarding visas within the signatory States have been adopted. There are 26 Schengen countries, all in Europe, 22 are European Union members and 4 are non EU members (Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein).

The 26 Schengen countries are: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Liechtenstein Sweden, and Switzerland.

Where to apply?

It all depends on the place(s) you want to visit. If you intend to visit only one Schengen country, you must apply at the Embassy or Consulate of that particular country. If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, you must apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country which is your main destination. If you intend to visit several Schengen countries but do not have a main destination, you should apply for a visa at the Embassy or Consulate of the country which is your first point of entry.

Schengen visas are issued for visits to the Schengen Area on a short-term basis (meaning stays of no longer than 90 days per half-year for the purpose of tourism, business, or family visits) or to merely transit on the way to a non-Schengen country. If you want to stay longer than three months, you still need a national long-term visa or residence permit. It is up to the individual countries to set their own requirements.

Non-Schengen countries

Non-Schengen countries, on the other hand, maintain their own immigration policies. If you wish to visit a non-Schengen country and return to the Schengen area, you will need a multiple-entry visa. It should be noted that Bulgaria, Cyprus, Romania, Ireland, and the United Kingdom are EU members, but they are not part of the Schengen Area.

Embassies:

Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

In particular, Erasmus+ provides grants for a wide range of actions including the opportunity for students to learn in Europe, undertake work placements abroad and for teachers and education staff to attend training courses or develop professional exchanges.

It has an estimated budget of €26.2 billion. This is nearly double the funding compared to its predecessor programme (2014-2020).

The 2021-2027 programme places a strong focus on social inclusion, the green and digital transitions, and promoting young people’s participation in democratic life.