The Schengen visa is finally going online. The new rules have been agreed upon by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union. Now there is no need to go to the consulate and submit documents in person, except for those who are applying for a visa for the first time or those who wish to obtain a Schengen visa with expired biometric data. However, these rules will only come into force after they have been approved by all EU member states. Once approved, there are plans to create a special platform where you can apply for a Schengen visa. On this same unified website, you will be able to apply for a visa, which will be forwarded to the necessary visa systems. Here, it will also be possible to upload electronic copies of documents, pay the visa fee, and receive a response to the request. There will be no need to meet with consulate staff in person. Digitization is intended to simplify the visa application process and increase the security of the Schengen area (reducing the risk of visa sticker forgery and theft).
If the applicant intends to travel to several countries in the Schengen area, the platform will determine which country will be the main one and which will consider the application, but the applicant retains the right to choose the country that will consider the submitted documents.