Schengen Visa Is Going Fully Digital: What It Means For Indians Travelling To Europe
This comes after European Union foreign ministers adopted a change to shift the process of applying for visas to visit the Schengen area to an online platform in November 2024.
Digital Schengen Visa: What Has Changed
The European Union officially decided to pull out the traditional Schengen visa sticker and replace it with a digital barcode in June 2023. The aim of digitalising the visa was to make procedures more tech-savvy. Officially referred to as a "secure 2D barcode", EU is growing toward digital innovation.
It is one of the biggest overhauls to the Schengen visa system in decades. This step will make the security tighter, processing faster, and provide a fully digital travel experience. Upon arrival at the border, travelers will scan the barcode, which links directly to a centralized EU visa system, providing immigration officers with immediate access to visa validity and personal data.
The EU had issued 70,000 digital Schengen visas for individuals attending the 2024 Paris Olympics as a trial. Instead of a sticker, the visitors got a digital barcode.
According to the official press release, the digital Schengen visa will allow travellers to upload documents, pay visa fees online, track application status and receive a digitally signed barcode visa.
People visiting Europe on a Schengen visa will need to submit their biometrics in person the first time, but frequent travellers will find it faster and seamless.
New Digital Border Controls: EES and ETIAS
The EU is introducing two new border control systems to strengthen security and modernise travel procedures:
The Entry/Exit System (EES), set to launch in October 2025, will replace traditional passport stamps with biometric checks, including fingerprint and facial recognition.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is expected to go live by 2026. It will require visa-exempt travellers, such as those from the US or UAE, to complete an online application before entering the Schengen Area.
The Digital Schengen Visa will become fully operational for all EU member states by 2028.
What Does It Mean For Indian Travellers
Indian travellers will experience several benefits, including:
Digital visa will streamline entry through biometric e-gate access.
The aim is to reduce the need for paperwork, which aligns with the Digital Scheme of the EU.
The process will now be faster, especially for frequent travellers.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
Schengen visa of 29 European countries to get digital; will greatly benefit Indians as...
London: The Schengen visa of 29 countries of Europe is going to be completely digital as the European Union (EU) is preparing to do away with the traditional Schengen visa sticker. A secure digital barcode will be imprinted in its place. The foreign ministers of the European Union had decided last year to transfer the visa application process for travel to the Schengen area to the online platform. After this, a new change has been made. However, this is not the only change that travellers going to Europe will see. Apart from this, many changes are going to be made to the visa. What is the use of the 2D barcode? The European Union is moving towards digital innovation in the form of a secure 2D barcode. This is one of the biggest reforms made in the Schengen visa system in decades. This move will speed up the process and provide a completely digital travel experience. On reaching the border, passengers will now scan the barcode, which will be directly linked to the centralized EU visa system. This will give immigration officials information about the validity of the visa and personal data. What benefit will Indian travellers get? The European Union had issued 70,000 digital Schengen visas as a test to the players and staff participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics. After its success, it is now being fully implemented. People coming to Europe on a Schengen visa will have to submit their biometrics in person for the first time. This process will be fast and seamless for those who travel regularly to Europe. Indian citizens travelling to Europe are going to get many benefits from the change in the Schengen visa. The most important of these is that the digital visa will facilitate entry through biometric e-gate access. This will greatly reduce the need for paperwork. Things will be much easier, especially for those who travel to Europe regularly. What is the Schengen Visa? Schengen is a short-term visa, which allows travel within the Schengen area for up to 90 days. As such, it is quite popular among people who love to travel. The Schengen area includes 29 European countries like Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
What is Mauritius' free premium travel visa? (How to apply, eligibility rules, other details inside)
Image credits: Getty Images Planning to travel to Mauritius? Did you know you can live there for a year with a free premium travel visa? The island nation, which is home to some of the best views of nature, is offering a Premium Travel Visa, which will allow citizens of India to stay and work there for up to a year. What is Mauritius' free premium travel visa? Mauritius' Premium Travel Visa allows foreigners to live in the country for six months, but can be extended to a year after renewal. It is meant for digital nomads, remote workers and families who want to enjoy the island's lifestyle without constantly earning an income from abroad. For Indians, the visa brings a new advantage. Now you don't have to pay any fees except for covering the living expenses. Know all about the eligibility criteria, document requirements, application process and more below. Eligibility criteria Image credits: Getty Images You will be eligible for the visa if you are: Not a citizen of Mauritius Digital nomad, remote worker, retiree and long-stay visitor Entrepreneurs with businesses registered and operating outside Mauritius Families who wish to relocate temporarily with school-age children Document requirements The following are the documents required for Mauritius' premium travel visa: A valid passport Recent passport-size photographs Proof of accommodation in Mauritius Proof of sufficient funds with at least USD 1500 (Rs 1,30,816) per month for an individual, plus additional funds for dependents, which may be around USD 500 (Rs 43,605) per month Proof of income from outside Mauritius is required Travel and health insurance valid for the full stay Return flight ticket or details of onward travel Application process Image credits: Getty Images In order to apply for the premium travel visa, you first need to submit your application online through the official Economic Development Board (EDB) Mauritius website. There, you need to fill out the Premium Travel Visa application and upload the necessary documents. Remember, there are no application fees for the visa. The application will be processed within a few working days, and once approved, you will receive the visa via email, which will then be stamped on arrival in Mauritius. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !
News18
6 hours ago
- News18
This Indian-Origin Businessman Is Set To Fly To Edge Of Space On Bezos' Blue Origin Mission
Last Updated: Arvinder Singh Bahal, an Indian-origin real estate investor, will fly to the edge of space on Blue Origin's NS-34 flight on August 3, 2025. An Indian-origin man is all set to fly to the edge of space on billionaire Jeff Bezos' space venture Blue Origin's next space tourist flight. Arvinder 'Arvi" Singh Bahal, a real estate investor originally from Uttar Pradesh's Agra, would be among the six members who would fly to space's edge on board space tourism flight, NS-34, on Sunday, August 3, 2025. Welcome to Astronaut Village, NS-34 Crew! — Blue Origin (@blueorigin) August 1, 2025 This would be Blue Origin's 14th human flight to suborbital space. The flight would last for 11 minutes, and the mission would be streamed live, with a webcast beginning 30 minutes before liftoff. As per the NDTV report, NS-34 is part of Blue Origin's New Shepard programme, which has so far taken 70 people past the Karman line, the internationally recognised boundary of space. Who Is Arvinder Singh Bahal? Bahal, who has become a US citizen by naturalisation, is a real estate investor whose love for adventures and global travels has taken him from the North Pole to the Pyramids of Giza. According to the Blue Origin website, Bahal has made it a personal mission to visit every country. He holds both a private pilot's license and helicopter training, and the journey with Blue Origin is the latest milestone in a lifetime devoted to exploration and adventure. According to his LinkedIn profile, Bahal is the president of Bahal Properties, a real estate company. Who Are The Other Crew Members? Bahal will be joined by Turkish businessman Gkhan Erdem, Puerto Rican meteorologist and Emmy Award–winning journalist Deborah Martorell, English philanthropist Lionel Pitchford, entrepreneur JD Russell (who previously flew on NS-28), and HE Justin Sun, the winning bidder of the first New Shepard seat in 2021. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
