The European Commission (EU) has moved forward with plans to digitize the Schengen visa application process.
New regulations were published outlining a new online platform called the EU Visa Application Platform (EU VAP) and a lengthy transition period to the new digital system.
Gradual Transition Over Seven Years
According to the regulations released by EUR-Lex, the transition from the current in-person application system to the online EU VAP will take up to seven years from when operations first begin.
The Commission stated that “that transitional period should be for seven years from the date of the start of operations.”
During this time, Schengen member states can choose whether or not to participate in the EU VAP.
The regulations state that “in case a Member State decides it wants to join the platform, the same should notify the Commission and eu-LISA.”
Therefore, while some countries may shift to digital applications sooner, the full mandatory transition will not occur until the end of the seven-year period, around 2030.
What We Know About the EU VAP
The new digital system for applying for short-stay Schengen visas will be called the EU Visa Application Platform (EU VAP).
The domain name will end in “.Europe.eu” similar to other official EU websites.
According to the regulations, Schengen visas will now have a digital format featuring a 2D barcode.
The barcode will be “cryptographically signed by the Country Signing Certificate Authority of the issuing Member State.”
It will also include the visa holder’s biometric facial image and be printable.
The platform will automatically determine which Schengen country is responsible for processing submitted applications.
Applicant data will be temporarily stored by the system as needed to complete application tasks.
In most cases, applicants will only need to visit embassies and consulates in person on their first visa application or when renewing expired documents. Otherwise, applications can be fully completed online.
Visa fees will be paid through the platform instead of in cash. Electronic payment details will not be part of the VIS system.
If electronic payment is unavailable, visa fees can still be collected manually at consulates.
Improved Security and Lower Costs
The shift to digital visas aims to improve security, reduce falsification, streamline procedures, and lower costs over time for both applicants and EU governments.
The system will help eliminate “visa shopping” where applicants apply through countries they don’t plan on visiting to speed up wait times.
Key Changes Coming in 2026 and 2028
The following changes will be phased in gradually starting in 2026 when EU VAP launches:
2026
- Option to apply for all Schengen visas in one platform
- Applicants upload digital documents instead of printouts
- Visa fees paid online through the platform
- Only the first applications require in-person appointments
2028
- Complete shift to online platform except for some exceptions
- Visa stickers replaced with digital barcodes
No Impact on Visa-Free Travelers
Citizens of visa-waiver countries can continue entering the Schengen Zone without visas.
However, starting in May 2025, visa-free travelers will need to get pre-travel authorization through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
However, the ETIAS application process remains separate and distinct from the Schengen visa.
Mixed Impacts on Long-Term Visitors and Immigrants
The transition to online Schengen visa applications will have mixed impacts on long-term visitors and immigrants to the European Union (EU).
On one hand, the streamlined digital process may increase access and reduce barriers to extended stays.
Students, digital nomads, and investors could see small improvements in navigating permits.
However, the changes do little to overhaul restrictive immigration laws.
Achieving longer-term residence still typically requires extensive paperwork, high-income thresholds, and lengthy processing under national policies.
The EU Blue Card for high-skilled workers remains complex with low uptake.
Families face particular challenges in meeting income rules and gaining approvals for non-EU relatives.
While applying for short-term visas will get easier, limited progress on harmonizing immigration leaves obstacles for those looking to establish deeper EU ties.
Loosening Restrictions Not a Policy Priority
The EU visa digitization push relates purely to short-term visas and ties into expanding pre-travel clearance under the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). It does not signal broader migration policy reform.
In fact, record displacement and asylum applications have led many EU states to tighten rather than loosen immigration restrictions.
Efforts to seal external borders and limit irregular entry intensified during the 2015 refugee crisis.
Northern states pressed southern countries to ramp up coastal monitoring and migrant processing.
The EU Border Agency, Frontex, continues to tighten crackdowns given the rising irregular border crossings in 2023.
With surging right-wing parties and simmering cultural backlash, few governments see electoral incentives loosening immigrant limits.
The visa changes may facilitate tourist or business trips but leave long-term immigration access largely unchanged.
Next Steps Toward a Digital Schengen Zone
With the basic framework and timeline now published, the focus shifts to the European Commission’s next steps in developing the EU VAP.
Key milestones will include announcing the domain name, testing prototypes, choosing cloud servers and contractors, evaluating security protocols, and interfacing with other EU clearance systems.
Meanwhile, individual Schengen states must decide if and when to embrace online applications during the 2026 to 2028 transition period.
Consulates worldwide need training plus new equipment to capture and transmit digital applicant data.
If successful, the streamlined process promises easier applications for millions of short-term visitors alongside better screening tools for the EU.
However, skeptical observers caution many pitfalls could slow the adoption of modern technology across Europe’s sprawling 27-state border zone.