The Council of the European Union’s Visa Working Party convened at the Justus Lipsius building in Brussels on 14 September to tackle two hot-button issues for mobility professionals: a discussion paper proposing a rise in Schengen short-stay visa fees and new benchmarks for visa-waiver countries. According to the meeting agenda, the Presidency is floating an increase of standard Schengen sticker fees from €80 to €95, citing inflation and the need to finance digitalisation projects such as the forthcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Member-state delegates were also briefed on progress toward a unified “Travel to Europe” mobile enrolment app that could replace in-person biometrics for low-risk applicants by 2028. Separately, the Commission presented draft scorecards for monitoring compliance by current visa-waiver partners. Countries that slide below thresholds on irregular migration or readmission cooperation could face a snap suspension of visa-free access. Belgium, as host nation, emphasised the importance of fee harmonisation for consular cost recovery but asked that family-reunion and cultural-exchange categories remain protected. Corporations that file large numbers of C-type applications for visiting staff should budget for the likely fee change in 2027 and track possible waiver suspensions that could suddenly require visas for key markets.
Source: Council of the EU
