EU Ambassador Confirms: Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman to Receive Five-Year Schengen Visas Without Additional Charges

Here are the main points:

• The EU Ambassador has affirmed that individuals from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman will maintain the current visa fees.
• This confirmation comes after the EU's choice to introduce five-year multiple-entry visas.
• All citizens of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, including those applying for the first time, will receive five-year multiple-entry visas.

The European Union Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman, Christophe Farnaud, has affirmed that citizens of these countries will now receive five-year multiple-entry Schengen visas without any additional charges. This decision follows the recent announcement by the EU to introduce five-year Schengen visas allowing multiple entries per year to individuals from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.

In light of these visa facilitations for the nationals of these three countries, Farnaud issued an official statement clarifying that the visa fee will remain unchanged. However, he emphasized that Saudis, Bahrainis, and Omanis will no longer face the concern of their Schengen visas being issued for shorter durations.

As per the current regulations, individuals from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman are required to pay a €80 visa fee upon application submission. Children aged between six and 12 are subject to a reduced fee of €40, while those under six are exempt from the visa fee.

Farnaud expressed his approval of the EU's decision to grant five-year multiple-entry visas to citizens of these three countries. He believes that this initiative will facilitate travel and strengthen the bonds between the EU and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman.

According to the EU's decision, all passport holders from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Oman will receive five-year multiple-entry Schengen visas, including individuals applying for the first time, provided they fulfill all necessary criteria.

These five-year multiple-entry visas will allow Saudis, Bahrainis, and Omanis to travel to the Schengen Area multiple times within a year. However, they must adhere to the 90/180-day rule, which dictates that visa holders or those with visa-free entry cannot stay in the Schengen Area for more than three months within a six-month period.

The EU's decision to issue five-year multiple-entry visas to Saudis, Bahrainis, and Omanis aims to standardize visa regulations for GCC countries. Discussions will continue between the EU and GCC countries (excluding the UAE) regarding the possibility of lifting visa requirements entirely and allowing unrestricted entry.