The European Union Council has decided to reduce the Schengen visa fee for The Gambia to the standard €80.
The fee for Gambians applying for Schengen visas was previously increased to €120 due to a lack of cooperation in the readmission of those staying irregularly in the bloc.
However, following The Gambia’s efforts to enhance its cooperation with the EU, the Council has reverted to the standard application cost of €80, SchengenVisaInfo reports.
The Council decided that the visa fee for nationals of The Gambia who wish to travel to the Schengen area will be reduced from €120 to the standard visa application fee of €80.
While the Schengen visa fee for Gambians has been cut to the normal level, nationals of The Gambia will still have to undergo the same procedures as before when applying for Schengen visas. The only change is that they will now be able to save €40.
The EU authorities have not commented on the effects that this change will have, but it is expected that the interest among Gambians to apply for Schengen visas will rise now that the increased fee no longer applies to them.
Gambians Have Been Paying a 50% Higher Fee for Schengen Visas Since 2022
The Council of the EU decided to increase the Schengen visa fee for The Gambia in December 2022.
Since then, all Gambians have been paying a 50 per cent higher fee than the other nationals who need a visa to enter the Schengen Area.
Prior to the visa fee increase, the EU also took a series of measures against Gambian nationals in 2021.
Back then, the EU suspended the possibility for the member states to waive requirements for documents that need to be submitted by Gambian visa applicants.
Moreover, the EU suspended the issuance of multiple entry visas for Gambians and suspended the limitation to process applications within 15 days, leading to longer waiting times.
Schengen Visa Applicants Might Soon Be Required to Pay a €90 Fee
The current standard fee for Schengen visas stands at €80. However, the EU Commission might soon decide to increase the Schengen visa fee by 12 per cent.
This increase would mean that instead of paying €80, those who need a Schengen visa might be required to pay €90 for the document in the near future.
In its draft proposal, the Commission said that the fee increase is needed due to inflation.
The same stressed that if approved, the changes will not affect visa fees of the countries that already have visa facilitation agreements with the EU.
