Frequent travellers, including seafarers, who travelled to EU Member states and returned to their home countries without any infringements of visa conditions and/or overstays may qualify for multiple-entry visas with a validity of 5 years.
Such applications, however, must be submitted with enough proof that the applicant will return to their home country and the intention to leave the EU after the prescribed 5-year period. In addition, seafarers may apply for a Schengen visa nine months prior to the intended travel date, while other travellers can apply six months prior. This should prove to be a great benefit to seafarers that are awaiting final schedule of their first port of call.
The effected changes also include a requirement by EU member states whereby each state must have a representative of their respective country in each country abroad to ensure travellers are not required to visit a neighbouring country for the sole purpose of applying for a Schengen visa.
The numerous benefits of the changes to the Schengen visa, however, comes at a cost. The visa fee for the Schengen visa is expected to increase from €60 (R962) to €80 (R1,282) per application. Children, over the age of 6, will now have to pay €40 (R640) instead of the previous lower fee of €35 (R560) per application.
The new Schengen Visa Code will also allow for a mechanism to review the visa fees every three years and determine should these remain the same or increase. The same may compel non-Schengen countries in cooperating with the EU for the readmission of their illegal migrants. Nevertheless, the Schengen area may see a substantial increase of travellers and seafarers as a result of these positive visa changes.
AUTHOR 
Tarissa Wareley
Immigration Specialist
