Visas to enter European territory, including Italy, will become digital in the near future. Travelers to the Schengen area will be able to apply for a visa electronically, per new regulations adopted by the European Council yesterday. The two regulations that have been passed will establish an EU platform for visa applications. Applicants will be able to enter all required data, upload electronic copies of supporting and travel documents, and pay visa fees through the platform, with a few exclusions. They also eliminate the requirement to physically visit the consulate. In general, physical presence at the consulate will be necessary only for first-time visa applicants, those whose biometric data has expired, or those with a new travel document. Furthermore, the new system will replace the current visa sticker with an encrypted barcode. (peg/EU)
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