EUROPEAN UNION Fiji Mission works on Schengen visas
Progressive measures are being taken by the Fiji’s Mission in Brussels to ease the processing of Schengen visas to Europe.
Doing so will save Fijians time and costs currently associated while applying for a Schengen Visa to travel to Europe.
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows a person to travel to any members of the Schengen Area, per stays up to 90 days for tourism or business purposes.
The Schengen visa is the most common visa for Europe. There are no border controls within the Schengen Zone. Schengen area countries are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Fiji’s Ambassador to the European Union based in Brussels, Deo Saran, says the Mission is holding discussions with the European Union to put in necessary arrangements to ease the process required by Fijians in accessing visa to travel to Europe.
Ambassador Saran said that while Fiji is holding talks with the European Union on this new arrangement, a successful outcome of current talks will largely depend on individual approval by EU member states.
“This will require the Mission to undertake consultations and bilateral discussions with the European Union member states to seek their support to have an agency in Fiji that can process the visa on their behalf,” he said.
“We do hope to put in the necessary mechanisms in place by this year so we can have the visa processing arrangements done in Fiji.
“Currently people have to travel all the way to Wellington or Vanuatu and it takes almost a week or so to get the visa to Europe.
“Having the visa processed in Fiji will be a huge relief for Fijians.”