This is how is called the agreement for the sake of which many of our citizens are willing to give everything. The interesting thing is that many of them don’t know what a Schengen visa means; where this name came from and concretely which countries are providing this visa.
Recently European Parliament and the EU Foreign Affairs Council have made a decision, according to which the Armenian citizens have the opportunity to travel to the Schengen zone under a simplified regime. The simplified regime involves a new procedure for granting visas. First, you must have a certified passport, but most importantly – the visa will not be placed in passports with more than 10 years of age. Measures will be taken to ensure transparency of the work of embassies in order to avoid questions about the reasons for the rejection of applications. The tenure of the Schengen visa is extended to 3 months. Before leaving the country of the Schengen zone citizens of Armenia are obliged to leave the application that they must return to Armenia and do not take steps in order to stay in Europe. Those citizens of third countries, who have long-term Schengen visas, will hence have the same rights as the ones, who have permanent residence. Prior to the new changes the bearer of the visa had the right to be in the territory of the country, the embassy of which had granted a visa. He/she had the right to move in the other EU states on transit. The new rules also define the maximum period for the validity of the visa, which is one year. If the Schengen country allows a third country citizen stay in the country for over one year then it should grant him with a residence right. Moreover, this should be done before the visa expiry. However, such visas entitle their holders to transit through Schengen territory on their way to the issuing Schengen State (subject to the usual conditions for entry into the Schengen area). In addition, such visas are (under certain conditions) valid as uniform short-stay visas for a period of not more than three months from their initial date of validity. Consul said that the new application forms will be more comprehensive and will contain a provision on biometrical data (fingerprints). If the move and terms of visa are facilitated then in the aspect of security the Europeans have even more restricted the rules. The new legislation of regulation obliges to the embassies, which provide long-term visas examine the information database. Previously this was being done when providing the right for residence. But now the visa-providing country should carefully examine each applicant. If one Schengen country has refused to provide a visa to some individual then the next EU country should conduct a “strict examination” and consult with the country, which has refused a visa by protecting the applicant’s rights. As of the residence right then it will be provided in exclusive cases in the framework of humanitarian grounds or conduct of international obligations. On the other hand if the EU country decides to provide an entry visa to some citizen, who at the moment has a residence right or a visa for some other country then it should inform the hosting country of the reasons why the visa is denied. It should also thoroughly explain the reasons for denial because the hosting country may with the same grounds call back its issued visa or the residence right. In the estimation of European experts, the new legislation grants large powers to the holders of long-term Schengen visas. On the other hand it allows avoiding additional factors of risk (in the aspect of security). Let us remind our citizens that after the commencement of July 13, 2009 resolution /EG/810/2009/ on new visa code of European community, European parliament and EC, to receive Shengen visa, starting April 5, 2010 Armenian citizens should abide with the following necessary conditions:
-The applicant must have a certified passport, but most importantly – the visa will not be placed in passports with more than 10 years of age (this means that the prolongation of the passport expiry period will not work).
-The passport must have at least 2 blank pages anticipated for the visa.
-The passport must be valid at least three months after the paid visit to a Schengen country.
The mentioned requirement is for all the foreign citizens.
The Schengen treaty works in 24 countries defining absence of border control. Those countries are Austria, Belgium, Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Greece, Hungary, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Czech Republic, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Finland and France.