The EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Christophe Farnaud, has said that the bloc is taking steps to remove the Schengen visa requirements entirely for Saudi nationals.
As explained by local media, Ambassador Farnaud said that passport holders of Saudi Arabia will soon be able to enter the Schengen Area without having to undergo the visa application process. However, he did not share what stage the process is at, nor did he give a date when visa exemption could take place, Schengen.News reports.
During the time that this process is ongoing, Ambassador Farnaud said that Saudi nationals will continue to enjoy facilitated Schengen visa application rules, Gulf News notes.
While visa exemption is important, the Ambassador stressed that the facilitations that currently apply are very meaningful and that they have had a positive impact on strengthening people-to-people ties and encouraging exchanges between the EU and Saudi Arabia.
EU Started Offering 5-Year Multiple-Entry Schengen Visas for Saudis in April of Last Year
In April 2024, the EU Commission officially eased the Schengen visa application rules for passport holders of Saudi Arabia as well as for passport holders of Oman and Bahrain.
Under the facilitated rules, Saudi nationals are able to obtain multiple-entry Schengen visas with a validity period of up to five years.
Saudis who hold a five-year multiple entry visa issued by any of the Schengen member states are permitted to enter the Schengen Area multiple times within a year.
However, they must still follow the 90/180-day rule, which means that they are permitted to remain within the bloc for only a maximum of three months within any six-month period.
Currently, the UAE is the only Gulf country whose passport holders enjoy visa-free entry to the bloc. The EU authorities have already said that they working together with the other Gulf countries to remove the visa requirements entirely.
Saudis Among Top Schengen Visa Applicants in 2023
Nationals of Saudi Arabia were among the top applicants for Schengen visas in 2023. Statistics published by SchengenVisaInfo show that Saudi Arabia ranks seventh in the list of countries whose nationals filed the most visa applications in 2023.
During that year, Saudis submitted a total of 428,954 Schengen visa applications. Of the total number of those who filed an application, 398,250 of them were granted visas. On the other hand, 25,672 of them had their applications rejected, with the not issued rate standing at six per cent.