In an encouraging news for Indians, the European Union on Monday said that Indian nationals can now apply for a multiple-entry visa with longer validity.
In a statement, the European Commission said that the rules, adopted on April 18, are more favourable than the standard rules of the visa code that applied to date.
"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," it said.
It said that the decision is in line with strengthened relations under the EU-India Common Agenda on migration and mobility, which seeks comprehensive cooperation on migration policy between the EU and India.
"Travel to Europe made easy! ET takes another step towards enhancing people-to-people contact with India. New #Schengen #visa regime gives Indian frequent travellers access to multi-year visa (up to 5 y.) Europe delivers on the partnership!" EU ambassador Hervé Delphin said on X.
Schengen visa holders can freely travel in the Schengen area for short stays of a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period.
The visas are not purpose-bound, but they do not grant the right to work.
The Schengen area consists of 29 European countries (of which 25 are EU states): Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland and Sweden, along with Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
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