Survey on the EU's common visa policy: make your voice heard
Have you obtained a short-stay ‘Schengen’ visa over the past 5 years, or would you like to make your voice heard on how these visas are issued?
The European Commission is reviewing the procedures for issuing 'Schengen' visas and would like to hear the views of the main 'users' on them. To this end, the Commission has launched the public consultation to gather the views and concerns of all interested citizens and organisations regarding the process of applying for Schengen visas. This input will help the Commission develop proposals for better balancing improved migration, security and border management with the benefits of facilitated visa and visa-free travel (e.g. trade, tourism, people-to-people contacts).
All interested parties (individuals, interest groups, advocacy groups, think tanks and professional organisations) can share their experience by replying to the online questionnaire and sending written contribution on any issue linked to the EU's common visa policy or the implementation of the EU's Visa Code.
Both individuals and organisations can submit their reply in any of the 24 official EU languages. Please note that the questions of the survey are translated into Russian to facilitate understanding and that all replies and written contributions should be submitted in any of the official EU languages (ex., in English).
The consultation will run until 2 February 2018. Once the consultation period is over, the European Commission will prepare a report summarising the responses. The results will be taken into account when preparing future Commission proposals in the area of visa policy.
Background information
The EU's common visa policy regulates the issuing of short stay visas (‘Schengen visas’ for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period) and is currently applied by 22 EU Member States (Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden) and four associated states (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland). This consultation only concerns issues related to Schengen short stay visas. It does not apply to issues concerning long stay visas or residence permits.
The EU Visa Code is the EU's Regulation establishing the procedures and conditions for issuing visas for intended stays on the territory of the Schengen Member States not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period or airport transit.