By introducing the 'cascade' visa program for Indian citizens, the European Union aims to enhance its relationship with India while facilitating easier travel within the Schengen area. This scheme provides Indian travelers with longer validity multiple-entry visas, fostering tourism and business interactions between the two regions.
The European Union has recently introduced a visa program called "cascade" specifically designed for Indian citizens residing in India who are applying for Schengen visas. This program allows Indian travelers to obtain multiple-entry visas with longer durations. The objective of this initiative is to facilitate easier visa access for individuals with a proven travel history, provided their passport allows for it.
This new program, adopted by the European Commission on April 18, represents a departure from the previous standard Visa Code rules that applied to Indian nationals. The updated regulations offer more favorable conditions for obtaining multiple entry visas, showcasing the EU's commitment to strengthening ties with India and promoting tourism and business exchanges between the two regions.
Under the newly implemented visa "cascade" system for Indian citizens, eligible individuals can obtain long-term, multi-entry Schengen visas with extended validity. To qualify for a two-year visa, applicants must have previously obtained and lawfully used two visas within the past three years. Subsequently, if their passport meets the necessary validity requirements, they can typically receive a five-year visa.
During the validity period of these visas, holders enjoy travel privileges equivalent to those of visa-free nationals. This means they can enter and exit Schengen countries multiple times without needing separate visas.
The EU-India Common Agenda on Migration and Mobility includes the implementation of this new system to enhance cooperation between the EU and India. This move underscores the significance of fostering people-to-people connections to strengthen ties across various domains.
Schengen visas enable unrestricted travel within the Schengen area, which comprises 29 European countries, including 25 EU member states and four non-EU countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). These visas allow for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
It is important to note that Schengen visas are not limited to a specific purpose, meaning they can be utilized for tourism, business, or visiting friends and family. However, they do not grant the right to work within the Schengen area.
This visa arrangement simplifies travel within Europe as it enables travelers to visit multiple countries in the Schengen area with just one visa, eliminating the need for separate visas for each country.