Schengen Visa Fees to Rise by 12%

Schengen visa fees are set to increase by 12%, effective from June 11th.

The Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) has reported the impending visa fee hike, citing the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia.

According to a statement from the Slovenian diplomatic authority, the decision to raise the cost of short-term Schengen visas worldwide by 12% was made by the European Commission. This adjustment will come into effect on June 11th, 2024. The new fee for a Schengen visa will be 90 euros for adults and 45 euros for children aged 6 to 12.

The proposal to increase visa fees was presented in February 2024. However, the European Union Commission has not yet provided specifics regarding the exact date of the increase. It is anticipated that the change will be officially published in the European Commission's Official Journal by the end of the week.

Visa fees are reviewed every three years based on objective criteria such as the inflation rate in the EU and the average salaries of public officials. The European Commission believes that these factors indicate an imminent need for a fee increase this year.

Additionally, according to data from ATOR, the number of Schengen visa applications submitted globally last year exceeded 10.3 million, marking a 37% increase compared to 2022. Citizens of China submitted the highest number of Schengen visa applications, totaling 1.1 million. Russians followed closely behind, submitting 520 thousand visa applications. In 2023, nearly 449 thousand Schengen visas were issued to applicants, including 221 thousand multiple-entry visas (49.2%).