Increase of Schengen Visa Fees to Jump Application Costs for Moroccans to €90

Following the recent initiative by the Commission of the European Union to increase the amount of Schengen Visa Fees, Moroccan nationals, who up until now had to pay €80 for a Schengen visa application, will have to pay a fee that is 12.5 per cent higher, totaling to €90.

According to the Commission, visa fees will also increase for children, who from €40 will have to pay €45 if this draft is approved, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.

Schengen Statistics reveal that Morocco was the fourth country of origin for most visa applications filed, reaching a total of 423,000, indicating that Moroccans spent €33.8 million on visa applications in 2022.

Visa Applications Cost a Quarter of Minimum Wage in Morocco

This means that a Schengen visa application alone costs Moroccan nationals a quarter of their wage, considering that the minimum wage that people in the African country are paid is €321 for the public sector. Based on WageIndicator.org calculations, as of December 2023, the private sector’s minimum wage is even lower – between €266 and €286.

Visa application rates of Moroccan nationals in the last five years varied between 180,000 in 2022, when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions were introduced, to a record 705,000 in 2019. In general, Moroccans spent almost €220 million on Schengen visa applications during this period.

Expenses for Moroccan Visa Applicants to Surge by €4.5 Million

On average, 457,000 visa applications are filed by Moroccan nationals every year, and following this pace, expenses for visa applications in 2024 can total up to €41 million, around 12.5 per cent more than they would if the Commission’s draft to increase Schengen visa applications does not get approved.

This means that Moroccan nationals can risk paying €4.5 million more in visa applications than they did when such an application cost €80.

EU Commission Plans on Increasing Fees Due to Rising Inflation

The Commission revises the visa fees every three years, and this draft comes amid the inflation in the EU and the need for an increase in the salaries of civil servants.

The revision of the visa fees does not affect the fees laid out in visa facilitation agreements unless the agreement’s provisions make explicit reference to the visa fees set out in the Visa Code.

The Commission has also revealed that there is an initiative that will be open for feedback until March 1, 2024.