Getting visas to visit Europe’s Schengen area is changing! The EU ministers approved a new way, starting three weeks after it’s announced in the EU’s official news. This area includes 23 EU countries, plus places like Switzerland and Norway. Spain’s Interior Minister talked about a new online visa system. Travelers will use a special website to send papers and pay fees. Once approved, they’ll get a barcode. Some people, like first-time applicants or those with new passports, might still need to go in person.
Places like Australia already have similar online visa systems. Even if citizens from over 60 countries don’t usually need Schengen visas, they’ll soon apply online through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which is like the US ESTA system.
Now, everyone visiting, no matter their visa, will be tracked through the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). It records details and entry/exit dates, but starting it has been delayed.
