Swiss House of Representatives backs online Schengen visa system

The new rules apply to applications for short-stay visas (90 days) to enter the Schengen area. Keystone-SDA

In future, Schengen visa applications should be made via a European Union online platform. On Tuesday, Switzerland's House of Representatives adopted a revision of Swiss legislation on this issue.

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The new rules apply to applications for short-stay visas (90 days) to enter the Schengen area. Applicants will submit their details to the future platform. The platform will carry out an initial check and then send the application to the competent state.

If Switzerland agrees to process the application, the data entered will be transferred electronically to the national visa information system. In exceptional cases, it will still be possible to submit a physical application, for example in humanitarian cases or where Internet access is difficult.

Faster and more efficient

The digitised processing of visa applications is intended to harmonise processes, facilitate procedures for visa applicants and establish effective cooperation between the migration authorities of the Schengen states. It should also guarantee better protection against abuse, as visas will be less easily falsified, Social Democrat parliamentarian Jean Tschopp told a House of Representatives committee.

A number of parliamentarians, both on the left and the right, underlined the efficiency and effectiveness of the new system. “It will also be useful for companies wishing to bring in people from third countries,” said Radical-Liberal Christian Wasserfallen. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party was the only group to oppose the idea.

The People’s Party questioned the costs of such a project in Switzerland and its impact on the workforce. “More generally, we have doubts about the effectiveness of the system to be put in place,” explained Jean-Luc Addor, of the People’s Party.

Some Green Party members were concerned about the security of visa applicants’ information. But Justice Minister Beat Jans pointed out that the cantons would apply data protection rules, while the platform would operate in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation.

Not before 2030

The European platform is currently scheduled to be set up in January 2028. Schengen states have seven years to get connected. Switzerland plans to do so in early 2030 at the earliest. In addition, the format of visas is to be redefined so that they can be issued in digital form.

The vote on the bill passed by 126 votes to 59 in the House of Representatives. The Senate must still decide.

Translated from French by DeepL/sb

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