Schengen Visas: EU Announces Major Rules Changes, Considers New Fees

• The European Commission published a call for evidence on September 8, 2026, outlining possible changes to Schengen visa rules
• A new charge on top of the existing €90 adult visa fee is among the measures being examined by the Commission
• Trusted business travellers could gain faster processing and fewer document requirements under the proposed reform

The European Commission has begun a formal review of the EU Visa Code, the legislation that governs how short-stay Schengen visas are applied for and issued, with a call for evidence published on September 8, 2026.

The initiative follows a visa strategy the Commission unveiled in January 2026 and is intended to translate several of those policy announcements into law. A final legislative proposal is not expected before early 2027, and the Commission has cautioned that both the policy options under consideration and the timeline could still shift before then.

Possible new charge on top of existing visa fee

One of the most direct changes being explored would see an additional charge introduced on top of the standard Schengen visa fee, collected at European level and potentially directed towards funding the EU's common visa policy, Visa news reported.

No figure has been proposed, and no formal decision has been taken. Under current rules, the standard fee stands at €90 for adults and €45 for children aged 6 to 11, rates that have been in place since June 11, 2024, when they were raised from €80 and €40 respectively. Any new charge would sit alongside the existing fee rather than replace it.

Business travellers could see faster processing

The review also targets what the Commission describes as wide inconsistencies in how consulates across the Schengen Area currently handle business visa applications.

To address this, future legislation could allow EU countries to draw up shared lists of verified companies by country or territory.

Employees of those listed companies would be eligible for priority appointments, faster processing times, and reduced document requirements when applying for a visa. The Commission says the goal is to make the process more consistent and predictable across the Schengen Area.

Greater flexibility to restrict visas in crisis situations

Another proposed direction would give the EU additional tools to respond to political or security deterioration in non-EU countries.

The existing Visa Code already permits certain restrictions when a country fails to cooperate on the return of its nationals, but the Commission argues the current framework is too inflexible.

Under the proposed changes, the EU could suspend, restrict, or refuse specific categories of applications in response to what it describes as hybrid threats, sabotage, espionage, the instrumentalisation of migration, or other hostile acts.

The Commission says any such measures must be proportionate, targeted, and reversible, with explicit protections for human rights defenders, independent journalists, dissidents, and certain humanitarian cases.

The reform also aims to align the Visa Code with the EU's broader push to digitalise Schengen visa applications and issuance, updating provisions that are considered outdated or incompatible with future digital systems.

Over 12 million applications filed in 2025

The scale of the review is underscored by recent application figures. More than 12 million short-stay Schengen visa applications were received in 2025, up 4.3% from the previous year, with nearly 10.3 million visas issued. China led all source countries with about 1.9 million applications, followed by Turkey at 1.26 million and India at 1.15 million.

Despite the growth, overall demand remains well below the roughly 17 million applications recorded in 2019.

The Commission has opened a public consultation for travellers, businesses, and national authorities to contribute before a proposed regulation is submitted between January and March 2027. Until new rules take effect, current Schengen visa fees and procedures remain unchanged.

Canada announces new processing times for visa applicants

Previously, Legit.ng reported that Canada raised its estimated processing times for several temporary residence applications from Nigerians, covering study permits, visitor visas, and super visas.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) released updated figures on September 16, 2026, reflecting increases across key application categories for Nigerian applicants compared with the previous week.