Each year, around half a million Indians apply for visa to go to Europe for vacations, studies and business. Between 2009 and 2012, the number of visitors from India rose by almost 40%.
Europe is the top tourist destination in the world with a wealth of natural, cultural and artistic heritage.
But many potential Indian travellers are still discouraged from visiting Europe because of cumbersome visa rules and long waiting times. Now, the European Commission has proposed to change EU visa legislation to make it easier for people to travel to the EU borderless Schengen area.
The main obstacles in the existing system include long waiting times both to get an appointment with consular offices and for the visa to get issued, and the need to prepare and submit complex supporting documents. In a recent survey financed by the European Commission, over 30% of Indian respondents perceived the supporting documents requirement to be problematic.
With the proposals for new EU laws, getting a decision on one's visa application should, in principle, take no longer than 10 calendar days as per a report in ET.
Furthermore, it is proposed to ease the rules on which supporting documents are needed; and to make the process similar, no matter which embassy or consulate the application is launched in. Also, minors under the age of 18 should no longer have to pay avisa fee.
Another deterrent for potential visitors to Europe is insufficient consular coverage in certain regions. People sometimes have to travel far to present their visa request. These requirements are even more frustrating for frequent and regular travellers as they cannot obtain a visa for multiple entries.
The commission, therefore, proposes that people who regularly travel to Europe should be granted a multi-entry visa valid for several years, if they have had a visa issued to them twice in the previous 12 months. According to our proposals, in the future, it will not be necessary to lodge an application in person if the applicant is already registered in the system.
In addition, a new type of visa is proposed: the touring visa, with which the holder can stay in the Schengen area of Europe and travel across the continent for up to one year, with the possibility to extend it by another year.
This will be a key new element to the visa code for tourists who wish to stay longer in Europe, but not set up residence in one country. The touring visa will also be welcome for many who travel to Europe for business, especially in the cultural sector.
Just as Europeans are fascinated by India and keen to explore this country, you too have a growing desire to discover Europe, and we should heed that call. Increased mobility and exposure to diversity promotes cultural openness and will surely contribute to EUIndia cooperation.
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