European media present the issue of obtaining a Schengen visa online. This will be the result of a full digitisation process.
Experts predict that this will not happen immediately, but only after a certain period of time. However, this work has already begun in the European Union. The first step has already been taken. A law on the digitisation of visa procedures has been adopted in the EU Parliament. Its essence is to replace the paper version of the Schengen visa with an electronic one. This is intended to speed up the processing, reduce the effort and cost required to apply and improve security. A special single online platform has been created for applying for and obtaining a visa. Interested applicants do not need to visit an embassy or visa centre, they just need to go to the website and fill in all the necessary forms.
However, it has not yet been decided how to deal with people who are not „digitally literate“ and what options to use if applicants live in areas with insufficient internet resources. And there is no website yet.
In Parliament, the law was voted by a majority of 35 votes, with 5 against and 20 abstentions. As a result, inter-ministerial negotiations were announced.
In order to obtain a first visa, a person who wants to become a traveller must visit a biometric centre, where he or she will submit fingerprints and have his or her picture taken. They will have to undergo this procedure once every five years.