Ambassadors of the EU countries on June 19 approved the negotiations on introducing amendments to the visa code. This was reported by the press service of the European Council.

Thus, the EU Council will begin negotiations with the European Parliament after the latter adopts its position.

"Effective migration management provides an opportunity to return those who do not have the right to stay in the EU. New rules for issuing visas will provide us with one more tool for responding to countries that do not want to return their citizens, "the message says..

According to the proposed changes, applications for visas can be submitted in six months, but not in the brain than 15 days before the trip. Also, the EU countries plan to introduce a "concerted approach" to issuing visas to citizens with a positive visa visa history with a gradual increase in the period from one to five years.

The size of the visa fee is intended to be increased from € 60 to € 80, "so that Member States can more fully cover the cost of issuing visas".

The document also improves cooperation with third countries on the readmission of illegal migrants, Gordon notes..

The European Commission presented its proposals on the reform of the visa code on March 14, 2018.

The Schengen zone includes 26 European states that signed the agreement in the city of Shengen (Luxembourg) in 1985. The Schengen zone acts like a single state with border control at the external border - when entering and leaving the zone, but without border control at the internal borders of the states entering this zone.

June 11, 2017 between the EU and Ukraine earned a visa-free regime. Similar agreements the European Union has concluded with almost 60 more states.