EU Announces Major Schengen Visa Changes That Could Affect Ghanaians and Other Foreigners
- The European Union is preparing major changes to its Schengen visa rules, with Ghanaians and other travellers potentially affected
- The proposed overhaul could introduce a fresh requirement that applicants may need to consider when planning trips to Europe
- The EU is also considering changes that could make some visa applications faster and more streamlined
PAY ATTENTION: Mark YEN.com.gh as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
The European Union is preparing a major review of the rules governing short-stay Schengen visas, a development that could interest Ghanaians planning to travel to Europe.
The proposed overhaul could introduce an additional charge on top of the existing Schengen visa fee, although the European Commission has not yet announced how much the new charge could be.
Source: Getty Images
The EU is also considering faster processing for trusted business travellers and new measures that could allow certain visa applications to be restricted during serious security or geopolitical threats.
EU prepares major overhaul of Schengen visa rules
The European Commission has launched preparations for a revision of the EU Visa Code, which sets common rules for short-stay visas to the Schengen area.
The Commission published a call for evidence in September 2026 and indicated that a formal legislative proposal is expected in the first quarter of 2027.
The proposed changes form part of the EU's broader visa strategy adopted in January 2026, which seeks to make visa rules more secure and efficient while facilitating legitimate travel.
The Commission said the review is still at a preparatory stage and that the final content of any legislation could change before a formal proposal is presented.
EU considers additional Schengen visa charge
One of the proposals that could affect travellers involves the possible introduction of an additional charge on top of the existing Schengen visa fee.
The European Commission said it would explore the feasibility of introducing the extra charge at EU level to support the further development of the common visa policy.
However, no amount has been decided for the proposed additional charge.
For now, the existing standard Schengen visa fees remain in place. Since June 11, 2024, adults have paid €90 (about GH¢1,191), while children aged six to 11 pay €45 (about GH¢595).
The proposed extra charge would therefore be separate from the current visa fee if the EU eventually decides to introduce it.
What the proposed changes mean for Ghanaians
Ghanaian passport holders are currently among the nationals who require a visa to cross the external borders of the EU for short stays.
This means Ghanaians planning short trips to countries in the Schengen area would be among the travellers who could be affected by changes to the Visa Code.
The EU says the proposed reforms are intended to make legitimate travel more predictable while strengthening the bloc's ability to respond to security and migration-related challenges.
Trusted business travellers could get faster processing
The European Commission is also considering measures to make visa applications easier for employees of trusted companies.
Under the proposal, the EU could establish common lists of verified companies in different countries or territories.
Employees of accredited organisations could potentially benefit from:
- Faster visa application processing.
- Priority access to consular appointments.
- Reduced requirements for supporting documents.
The Commission said there is currently no common EU approach for identifying trusted business travellers, meaning requirements and facilitation schemes can differ between member states.
EU considers tougher visa measures during security threats
The proposed reform could also give the EU greater flexibility to respond to serious political and security developments.
The Commission is considering a mechanism that could allow certain categories of visa applications to be suspended, restricted or rejected in response to circumstances such as hybrid threats, information manipulation, sabotage, espionage, hostile actions or the instrumentalisation of migration.
However, the Commission said any such measures would need to be targeted, proportionate and reversible.
It also proposed safeguards for independent journalists, human rights defenders, dissidents, civil society organisations and people in humanitarian or exceptional circumstances.
Schengen visa process set for digital changes
The review will also take into account the EU's move towards digital visa procedures.
The European Commission has said the long-term system will allow visa-required travellers to complete the application process through a European online platform, with biometric information still provided when required.
A digital visa is expected to eventually replace the traditional visa sticker.
The review is therefore expected to align the existing Visa Code with the EU's developing digital visa system and related IT infrastructure.
More than 12 million Schengen visa applications in 2025
The proposed overhaul comes as demand for Schengen visas continues to rise.
EU and Schengen-associated country consulates received more than 12 million short-stay visa applications in 2025 and issued almost 10.3 million visas.
The largest numbers of applications came from China, Türkiye, India, Russia and Morocco.
The European Commission is expected to continue consultations with stakeholders before presenting its formal legislative proposal in the first quarter of 2027.
Until any new legislation is approved and takes effect, the existing Schengen visa rules and fees remain applicable.
Europe names 29 countries exempt from EES
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported previously that Europe was rolling out a major digital border change that would affect many travellers heading to the Schengen area.
However, citizens of a select group of countries would not have to go through the new registration process.
The exemption covered several European nations, while travellers from outside Europe faced new requirements at the border.
Don't miss out! Get your daily dose of sports news straight to your phone. Join YEN's Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Source: YEN.com.gh
