Schengen visa fee hike: Europe tour gets more expensive from today; here’s how much you need to pay now

Bad news for travellers planning to visit Europe. The European Commission recently announced a 12 per cent surge in short-stay Schengen visa fees, which will be effective from 11 June, reported ANI.

According to the report, the new hike announced will apply to Type C Schengen visas, which are allocated to short–term travellers.

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As per the new charges, the cost for adult applicants will be Euro 90, up from the current Euro 80. For children aged between 6 and 12, the charges will increase from Euro 40 to Euro 45.

Under the Schengen visa, a traveller can travel across 27 European countries, including popular tourist destinations such as France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

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The following increase has been made to align with the increasing costs of processing visas and maintaining the security of the Schengen area.

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Earlier, in February 2020, the Schengen visa fees were revised, with the adult visa fee increased to Euro 80 from Euro 60.

At that time, the European Commission justified the hike by citing inflation and the need to cover administrative costs associated with the visa process—including background checks, data processing, and maintaining secure entry systems.

The recent increases are the EC's plan to ensure that the costs of visa processing and security measures are adequately covered.

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However, those from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus will have to pay Euro 35, and applicants from Cabo Verde will pay Euro 60.

With agency inputs.