The European Union(EU) has adopted new measures and visa rules that can allow Indian people or nationals to apply for multiple-entry Schengen visas with extended validity so they can visit the nations frequently with ease.
As the European Union eases the visa rules and regulations, Indian people and travelers can apply for five-year visas with multiple entries which would put the Indian nationals in the same category as the ‘visa-free nationals.’
EU Ambassador on the New Rules For Schengen Visa
On Monday, European Union ambassador to India and French international Herve Delphin announched and posted a tweet on his official X page which stated the adoption of new and specific rules on issuing multiple entry-visas to the Indian nationals which started effectively from 18th April.
Travel to Europe made easy! ✈️
⁰🇪🇺 takes another step towards enhancing people-to-people contact with 🇮🇳.⁰New #Schengen #visa regime gives 🇮🇳 frequent travellers access to multi-year visa (up to 5 y.) Europe delivers on the partnership!
Know More 👉 https://t.co/6EzlUF8jrR pic.twitter.com/ELhZdCfI83— Hervé Delphin (@EUAmbIndia) April 22, 2024
Herve Delphin stated on his post that ‘Travel to Europe made easy! [EU] takes another step towards enhancing people-to-people contact with [India]. New #Schengen #visa regime gives frequent travellers access to multi-year visa (up to 5 y.) Europe delivers on the partnership!.’
The New Rules of Schengen Visa to Indians
The European Union stated in a statement that ‘The new rules are more favourable than the standard rules of the Schengen visa code that applied to date.’
They further stated that ‘According to the newly adopted visa ‘cascade’ regime for India, Indian nationals can now be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after having obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years. The two-year visa will normally be followed by a five-year visa, if the passport has sufficient validity remaining. During the validity period of these visas, holders enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals.’
Why New Rules Were Applied for Schengen Visa
The European Union stated the reason that ‘The decision was made in the “context of strengthened relations under the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility(CAMM), which seeks comprehensive cooperation on migration policy between the EU and India.’
The equal agenda also additionally seeks at improving people to people relations ‘due to the importance of India as a partner for the Europe.’
However, the Schengen visas will allow Indian national to travel in any area of Schengen country or zone for a short stay of a maximum of 90 days within 180 days. Since the visas are not for purpose bound, it doesn’t give any permission to the individual to work in the Schengen zone.
The CAMM(Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility) was signed in 2016 which gives and seeks to enable safe and authorized migration between India and European Union while it also focuses and addresses the issues related to unlawful migration.
What and Why it is called Schengen?
The European Union is a group of 27 European countries connected by open borders which allow the free movement of people and goods shared between the countries which use the same currency called the euro. The European Countries also shares a standard visa regime known as the ‘Schengen Visa’.
Under the dominion of the Schengen Visa, 25 European countries plus four non-European nations like Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland allow visas which allow people to travel across all these countries which are part of ‘Schengen zone‘ without any inspection if any traveler travels from one Schengen country to another.
Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland make up the Schengen Area.
