This archive report was first published on 19 December 2019.
Kenyans to Pay More for EU's Schengen Visa from Next Year ¶
Wednesday, December 18, 2019 22:00
Kenya's travelers to European Union countries will face a significant increase in Schengen visa fees from February 2020.
The European Union Council has adopted an updated Schengen Visa code, which will see the fees rise by 33.3 percent to €80 (Sh9,060) from €60 (Sh6,795).
Children will also have to pay more, with the new fee set at €40 (Sh4,530) instead of €35 (Sh3,964) currently.
However, the new code will also allow applicants to lodge their applications up to six months in advance of a trip, an increase from the previous three months.
A Schengen visa is a short-stay permit that allows visitors to Europe to travel to any of the 26 states, which are members of the Schengen area, up to 90 days for tourism or business.
According to the updated regulations, Kenyans applying through an external visa service provider may have to pay up to €160 (Sh18,120) per visa application.
Statistics show that in 2018, Schengen embassies and consulates in Kenya processed 38,503 visa applications, with an acceptance rate of 87.6 percent.
