Category: ETIAS

Visas, Immigration & Nationality

EU Updates Schengen Borders Code

The European Union Parliament, in conjunction with the Council of the EU presidency, has successfully negotiated an updated Schengen Borders Code, marking a significant step towards reinforcing seamless movement within the Schengen area. The reform aims to strengthen free movement within the Schengen area, clarify rules, and reduce the amount of temporarily reinstated border controls…
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Switzerland Eases Air and Sea Travel Regulations with Bulgaria and Romania

The Federal Council of Switzerland has recently declared a significant policy shift, announcing the discontinuation of passport checks at its airports for passengers arriving from Bulgaria and Romania, effective March 31, 2024. This move follows the EU’s decision to lift border controls by air and sea for Bulgaria and Romania however controls will remain in…
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EU’s New Entry/Exit Scheme Finally Gets 2024 Launch Date

The European Union’s much-delayed Entry/Exit Scheme (EES) is due to start on 6 October 2024. The launch has been postponed multiple times as EU countries struggled to integrate their border systems with the central EES database. The new border system is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each…
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Bulgaria’s Schengen Bid Gets Dutch Approval

The Dutch government has submitted to the country’s parliament a decision to back Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen passport-free travel area, the Dutch embassy in Romania said on 15 December. “Happy to announce that today the Dutch government informed the Parliament of its support for Schengen accession of Bulgaria,” the Dutch Embassy “The Netherlands already…
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European Council Approves Online Schengen Visa Application Process

In a pivotal stride toward modernising travel protocols, the Council of the European Union has approved the digitalisation of the Schengen visa application process, marking a significant shift in travel convenience. Recent deliberations among EU foreign ministers have resulted in the green signal for digitising Schengen visa applications. This transformative online platform is poised to…
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