The Digital Schengen visa is expected to help 18-20 million applicants annually from around the world when implemented. These numbers can increase more provided that system implementation remains successful. According to the EU, this visa version will begin working in 2028 through the single EU online visa application platform.
We are expecting these numbers (18-20 million) when the digitalization of the Schengen visa is finalized because in 2019 we already saw 17 million applications submitted from around the world. Though the Schengen visa applications slummed due to the Pandemic in 2020 and 2021 still 2022 saw immense recovery. Below are the numbers of Schengen visa applications submitted and visas granted for the last 5 years (please note the statistics for 2023 have not been published yet):
| Year | Visa Applications Submitted (in millions) | Visas Approved (in millions) |
| 2018 | 16 | 14.3 |
| 2019 | 17 | 15 |
| 2020 | 3 | 2.5 |
| 2021 | 3 | 2.4 |
| 2022 | 6 | 7.5 |
EU on a role for Schengen visa
A year or so has seen big positive changes in the reforms of the Schengen visa. The European Commission has understood the need of the hour to streamline the Schengen visa system. Digitalization of the Schengen visa is a key aspect of this new mood of the EU. France has already shown online versions of Schengen visas for the 70,000 players and officials of the Olympics 2024.
EU has also announced giving multiple Entry Schengen visas to Indian, Saudi, Omani, and Bahraini nationals on cascade rules. This will help them get a 2 or 5-year multiple entry visa to travel to 29 Schengen countries. The addition of Bulgaria and Romania in the Schengen member zone (from 31 March 2024) is another good news that has now increased the country’s option to 29.
Alongside ease, the EU is also considering introducing tougher rules for the countries that do not cooperate with the EU for the asylum seekers’ repatriation on a quid pro quo basis. A current example is Ethiopia whose nationals will be unable to get multiple entry visas and will have to wait more for the visa application to be processed.
Adaptation of Digital Schengen Visa
The world has already changed much and countries like Canada, UK, and Australia are already using online versions of visa applications. Countries such as Australia and Turkey and already using digital visa systems.
More and more countries are adopting online visa systems or digitalizing them. Some argue this could create problems for some people to not use the visa application system properly.
However, this problem will be solved when people are used to it after the implementation of the online systems. Since most of the Schengen visa applicants are every year from Turkey, India, Russia, China, Brazil, Pakistan, and Morrocco, it is expected that these countries’ nationals will easily adapt to the new digitalized visa version. They have internet access and they like doing stuff online instead of paper-based work.
Countries like India and Turkey are already facing issues of long waits for visa appointments currently, they will be very pleased when the online visa system will help people apply and submit documents with the ease of a laptop or mobile.
Future Competitors
GCC countries (a group of 6 Gulf countries) are also working on one Schengen-style visa. The visa is called GCC Grand Tours Visa which will allow travellers to visit these countries for over 30 days.
UAE is the mastermind behind this visa and we all know how good this country is in executing tourism plans. A large number of travelers’ percentage can be converted to these countries. They are inexpensive and more people from developing countries will be able to get this visa as they generally are refused Schengen visas due to a lack of requirements fulfilled.
So the competition will be high in the future, Dubai is dominating the tourism in Gulf now. The Neom City project of Saudi Arabia if completed in the future will be game-changing, Brazil, India, and Thailand are already getting large chunks of international travelers each year.