11/08/2019 16:34

The European Union Plan to Double The Cost Of EU Visas

Will further changes affect the demand for Europe? On February 22nd Associated Press reported the European Union plan to double the cost of EU tourist visas for non-EU residents – from current 35 Euro to 60Euro. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Ministers of Justice of the EU discussed the issue on February 21st in Brussels. According to the plan new tariffs will be adopted at the beginning of 2007 in order to compensate expenses on biometrical data taking – the procedure will be initiated at the same time. However, exclusions might be made for students and scientists who will be able to enter the EU countries on favourable terms. Furthermore, travel market players doubt such changes will affect the demand. Svetlana Stroganova, General Director of Eurotravel, commented on the situation as follows: ‘when several years ago cost of German visas doubled nothing changed. 60Euro is not a lot – only 5-10% from the total cost of the trip, therefore the demand will not decline’. Roman Rudenko, Tourism Director of Tourtrans-Voyage agrees that visa cost increase will not affect tourist flow to the EU countries. Meanwhile, he believes that new rules regarding biometrical data taking might become an obstacle for tourists: ‘Russia is a big country therefore much will depend on weather potential tourists will have to go to Moscow for the procedure or weather all big cities will be equipped with special devices’. Nevertheless, passports with biometrical data are planned to be introduced in Russia. According to mass media, Kaliningrad region was the first to experience the innovation.