Indians eligible for long-term, multi-entry EU visa under new 'more favourable' policy

Indians are now eligible for long-term, multi-entry visas to the European Union (EU) under a new ‘more favourable’ policy.

The EU is a bloc of 27 European countries that are linked via open borders, free movement of people and goods, and many of them have the same currency called euro. The EU has a common visa regime that’s called Schengen visa.

Under the Schengen visa regime, 29 European countries —25 EU states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland— grant visas that allow people to travel across all of these countries part of the ‘Schengen zone’ without checks while transiting from one Schengen country to another.

The EU’s visa policy had been an issue for Indians. Unlike the United States that issues long-term visa, the EU used to give short-term visas requiring multiple applications in a very cumbersome process, according to The Times of India.

2-year, multiple entry visa for Indians under new policy

Under the new policy adopted on April 18, Indian nationals can get long-term, multi-entry visas with validity up to two years which would be extendable up to five years.

“According to the newly adopted visa ‘cascade’ regime for India, Indian nationals can now be issued long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas valid for two years after having obtained and lawfully used two visas within the previous three years. The two-year visa will normally be followed by a five-year visa, if the passport has sufficient validity remaining. During the validity period of these visas, holders enjoy travel rights equivalent to visa-free nationals,” said the EU said in a statement.

The visa policy has come in the backdrop the strengthened India-EU relations under the framework of the EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility (CAMM), according to ToI.

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The EU-India CAMM was signed between the two sides in 2016. It seeks to facilitate safe and legal migration between India and EU and address the challenges related to the irregular migration.