Schengen visa fee for Bangladeshis to go up from February 2

Bangladesh citizens will need to pay a fee of 80 euros instead of 60 euros as they did so far while applying for a Schengen Visa from Bangladesh, effective from February 2, 2020.

Due to the implementation of the Updated Schengen Visa Code, adopted by the European Union (EU) Council in June 2019, all representative missions of the Schengen countries located abroad are obliged to apply the new rules, including the ones in Bangladesh, the country's The Independent said in a report.

Bangladeshis will be subject to several changes in terms of visa application procedures, rules and benefits, starting from February 2, the report said citing a media release issued by SchengenVisaInfo on Tuesday.

Children too, will have to pay 40 euros instead of 35 euros, as it is currently.

The new rules also permit Bangladeshis to submit an application up to six months in advance of their trip, instead of three as it is now, and foresee a harmonised approach to the issuing of multiple entry visas with lengthier validity to regular travellers with a positive visa history.

Statistics by schengenvisainfo.com show that in 2018, Schengen embassies and consulates in Bangladesh processed 30,573 visa applications, 9,976 of which were rejected at a rejection rate of 32.6 per cent.

Sweden was the top favourite country for visa submission, as 7,025 of the applications submitted in Bangladesh were for Schengen visas to Sweden, followed by Italy with 6,935 and Germany with 5,854 applications.