France and the European Union Prepare Major Reforms to Modernize Visa Issuance System
France and the European Union are preparing significant reforms to modernize the visa issuance system, following multiple criticisms of the current procedures and their effectiveness. The appointment scheduling system has been poorly managed, with time slots being diverted and resold to the highest bidders, particularly in countries with high demand.
This reform, which is part of efforts to strengthen France's attractiveness to strategic profiles, would not have been possible without a project to digitize Schengen visas, which is currently being implemented at the European level. From now on, consulate appointments will be automated, without any manual intervention, and the current visa stickers are expected to be replaced by digital visas.
This reform, scheduled to come into effect by 2026, aims to improve security, reduce fraud, and simplify procedures for applicants, especially the most qualified ones, in the 27 Schengen area member countries. This is the idea proposed by the Hermelin report, led by the president of Capegemini, a French company specializing in digital solutions: to give more opportunities for obtaining Schengen visas to entrepreneurs, students, and brilliant profiles.
It is worth noting that since 2010, the refusal rate for French visas has increased from 10.7% to around 17% in 2023. If implemented, these reforms could transform the visa issuance policy. These changes to the visa granting policy will be generalized to the 27 European countries. By combining technological modernization and strategic prioritization, they seek to address security challenges while consolidating France and Europe's image as open and attractive destinations.
