The Slovenian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has announced that starting June 11, 2024, third-country nationals, including Nigerians, applying for a Schengen visa will face higher fees.
According to the Ministry, visa fees for adults applying for a short-term visa for Slovenia will rise from €80 to €90, while fees for children aged six to twelve will increase from €40 to €45, as reported by SchengenNews.
“The European Commission adopted a decision to increase short-stay Schengen visa (visa type C) fees worldwide by 12 per cent. The increase will apply worldwide as of June 11, 2024. New Schengen visa fees will be €90 for adults and €45 for children aged six to below 12 years of age,” stated the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia.
The fee adjustment follows a broader European Union directive aimed at harmonizing visa costs across the Schengen Area. Additionally, nationals from countries that have not cooperated with the EU on the readmission of irregular migrants will face even higher fees, ranging from €135 to €180, based on the Council’s decision.
This decision coincides with an increase in the number of visas issued by the EU in 2023, which saw a 36.3 percent rise compared to 2022. However, this figure is still 39 percent lower than the 16 million applications received in 2019.
In 2023, Nigeria saw 105,926 applicants for Schengen visas, with 62,099 approved, reflecting an approval rate of approximately 58.61 percent. Nigerians spent €8,474,080 on Schengen visa applications in 2023.
With the new fee structure, if the same number of people apply, the total expenditure will rise to €9,533,340, marking an increase of €1,059,260.
