The Council of the European Union has given its consent to the digitization of the Schengena visa procedure, which will allow applicants to process their visas online.
The acting Minister of the Interior of Spain, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, explained in a short statement that “the possibility to apply online for a Schengen visa will be a great development for the citizen and for the processing of it. This will simplify the application process and, at the same time, lighten the burden on the national administrations, which will be able to respond with more promptness and efficiency.”
Sources consulted by independent media Diario de Cuba states that all countries in need of European visa Schengen, including Cuba, must enter the new system.
On Monday, the council adopted two provisions: The first rule includes the creation of a European Union visa application platform, where applicants can submit their applications and upload electronic copies of their travel documents, as well as pay the corresponding fee.
The second one eliminates the need to appear in person at the consulate, with some exceptions, such as those applying for a visa for the first time or whose biometric data is no longer valid.
The current visa sticker will be replaced by a barcode with a cryptographic signature.
This can be an opportunity for applicants for Cuban visas. When the structure is completed and the digital age in terms of visas is entered, it will be an opportunity for people living in the east of the island not to have to go to Havana to present their files and to avoid the collapse of consular offices,” Estela Marina Pérez, general director of the Aristeo Group, explained to Cuban media.
Once they have been signed, both regulations will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force twenty days after their publication. The application date of the new rules It will be decided after the completion of the technical development of the visa platform and the digital visa, the statement said.
The Schengen area is an area made up of 27 European countries where many internal border controls have been abolished, allowing travelers with this visa to move easily from one member country to another without difficulty.
