European Commission addresses problems on Schengen visa

Over 30 journalists from outside the European Union and 15 home -based non-EU reporters will today in Brussels, Belgium, begin a European Commissionsponsored seminar on the Common Visa Policy aimed at fostering a better understanding of the development of the Schengen visa policy and its implementation.

Organized by the Directorate-General for Home Affairs of the European Commission and the European Journalism Centre, the seminar comes a few weeks after the European Commission put forward legislative proposals with the objective of shortening and simplifying procedures for third-country visitors such as business men/women and tourists wishing to enter and travel within the Schengen area without internal hindrances.

The European Union has set up a common visa policy for short stays -i.e. stays up to 90 days in any 180 day period, which is applied through the issuing of Schengen visas. In 2012, the present 26 Schengen States issued around 14.2 million Schengen visas. A central element of the common visa policy is the visa code that sets out the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for the purpose of short stays and airport transit. But the implementation of all the provisions is not always optimal and more is needed to address more effectively, the challenges and difficulties faced by visa applicants and consulates.

A Lagos-based Nigerian journalist nominated for this particular seminar was unable to travel to Brussels because of his inability to get a visa occasioned by difficulties associated with the issuance of the Schengen visa.

“In spite of the seminar being sponsored by the European Commission, the Belgian Embassy still insisted on the provision of many documents including participants’ employment letter, bank statement, flight insurance and other details which took them three weeks to handle, yet couldn’t issue the visa in time enough for me to travel to Brussels”, the journalist said.

Another respondent to public consultation on the Schengen visa also complained: “My relatives and I find it a very complicated and bureaucratic process to apply for Schengen visa to Denmark. So, some of my relatives reside in Uzbekistan while some reside in Denmark. There is no way to apply for Schengen visa for them in Uzbekistan”.