"The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short-stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12 percent. This increase will apply globally starting June 11, 2024," the Slovenian government stated.

The Schengen Area comprises 29 European countries, including 25 EU member states.

About the new charges

As per the new rules, the fee structure will e as follows:

• for adult applicants, the fee will rise from €80 to €90. In February 2020 the became €80 from €60.

• fee for children aged six to twelve will go up from €40 to €45

• For the citizens of countries that do not cooperate with the EU in readmitting their irregularly staying visas,the fee will go upto €135 or even €180.

Reason behind the decision

This decision to increase costs came after a thorough review of EU visa fees that took place in December 2023. As per the rules, the fee structure is reviewed every three years as stipulated by the Schengen Visa Code.

According to EU, the fee hike is attributed to inflation and increased salaries for civil servants. However, as per reports, the announcement garnered discontent, particularly among Turkish citizens who have been anticipating a visa-free agreement with the EU.

Back in 2023, the Schengen Area received over 10.3 million short-stay visa applications, a 37% increase from 2022, though still below the 2019 peak of 17 million applications.