Common Visa Policy

The common visa policy refers to the European Union (EU)’s policy on visas for entry in the Schengen area for short stays or transit (commonly known as Schengen visas). Currently, the EU requires Schengen visas from nationals of 103 countries while nationals of 65 countries are visa exempt. This entry starts by tracing the origin of the policy. It continues with an exploration of some of its aspects including its scope, the uniform visa, the multiple entry visa (MEV), the conditions and procedures for issuing Schengen visas, the right to a visa, the approach towards third countries and the policy operationalisation. In doing so, it highlights various drivers including internal security and migration containment, EU geopolitical interests and individual safeguards. It further considers how the balancing of these different forces and of Member States’ interests finds reflection in compromise and specific mechanisms. The entry concludes by considering the policy orientation in terms of its role in migration containment and its embracing of artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, creating challenges for fundamental rights protection and accountability.

Forthcoming book chapter in Oxford Encyclopedia of EU Law in the section titled "Area of Freedom, Security and Justice". Section edited by Violeta Moreno-Lax & Niovi Vavoula.