Schengen visas: Brussels is preparing new rules that could change the situation for Moroccans
The European Commission is preparing an overhaul of the Schengen Visa Code for 2027. Possible additional fees, simplified procedures for some travellers and faster sanctions against third countries: the options under consideration could directly affect applicants in Morocco.
Brussels opened a call for contributions on 8 September concerning the revision of the common rules applicable to short-stay visas. The consultation will remain open until 6 October, before a proposal for a regulation announced for the first quarter of 2027 is presented, according to the European Commission.
No new rules have therefore been adopted yet. The document nonetheless identifies the changes that Brussels wishes to examine.
The first could directly affect travellers’ wallets. The Commission wants to examine the creation of a “harmonised additional contribution at Union level”, which would be added to Schengen visa fees. No amount or implementation timetable has been decided. The basic fee is currently set at 90 euros for an adult.
The issue is particularly sensitive in Morocco. Around 620,000 Schengen visa applications were filed there in 2025, placing the kingdom among the five largest markets worldwide. Moroccan applicants continue to face delays, difficulties obtaining an appointment and visa refusals.
On Bladi.net : Schengen Visas Morocco: 437,000 Approved in 2024
The reform is not, however, limited to new financial constraints. Brussels is also considering simplifying procedures for certain categories of travellers deemed reliable.
Priority appointments and simplified applications
The Commission notably wishes to create a European scheme for business travellers. Common lists of verified companies could be established in each country by the consulates of the Schengen Area states.
Employees of these companies could benefit from expedited processing, priority appointments and a reduced number of supporting documents. The scheme would aim to replace current practices, which can vary considerably from one consulate to another.
Brussels also wants to harmonise the conditions for granting multiple-entry visas. Moroccan travellers regularly travelling to Europe for professional or family reasons could benefit from them if they meet the criteria that will be adopted in the future regulation.
The reform also includes a more restrictive component. The Visa Code already allows the European Union to reduce certain facilities granted to nationals of a country that cooperates insufficiently in readmitting its citizens in an irregular situation. The Commission wants to strengthen and expand this instrument to cover security, border controls, irregular immigration and the fight against smuggling networks.
Brussels is also considering targeted measures in the event of hostile acts or the instrumentalisation of migration. Visas would thus become a lever more directly integrated into the Union’s foreign policy, as was recently discussed in relations between Brussels and Rabat.
On Bladi.net : After Ceuta, Brussels puts Moroccan visas on the line
No restrictive measure targeting Morocco has been announced, however, as part of this review. Any possible decisions concerning a third country would have to be examined separately and comply with the principle of proportionality.
The draft nevertheless points to a significant development: the Schengen visa could become easier to obtain for certain travellers identified as reliable, more costly for all applicants and more readily used as a means of exerting pressure on foreign governments. The final arrangements will not be known until the European proposal is presented in 2027 and subsequently examined by Parliament and the Council.