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How to Escape Paying Higher Schengen Visa Fees in 2025
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RIF Trust on the Increasing Cost of Schengen Access
Mimoun Assraoui, RIF Trust CEO, recognizes who makes up our client base and their reliance on the Schengen Visa: “While everybody who engages our services is different, our clients tend to be HNWIs.”
“They travel regularly for business and leisure purposes,” he outlines, “including the 29 countries comprising the EU Schengen Area.”
Our CEO goes on: “The Schengen Zone is home to some of the most beautiful places in the world. HNWIs want to discover the majesty of Madrid, savor the romance of Rome, and bathe in the luxury of London. They want to tap into the EU market too as entrepreneurs.”
“As our clients are mainly Third Country Nationals (TCNs), the Schengen Area is not free to enter. In this article, we will address the rising price of a Schengen Visa for nationals from the likes of China, India, and Türkiye, and the Residency by Investment and Citizenship by Investment solutions at hand to combat this.”
What Is the Fee for a Schengen Visa?
Tuesday, June 11, 2024 saw the price of Schengen visas go up by 12.5%. As an adult, you now have to pay €90 instead of €80. For any children travelling with you, there’s a fee of €45 instead of the previous €40.
Here are the new charges in full:
- €90 for adults
- €45 for children aged 6-12
- €35 for applicants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Belarus
- €67,50 for applicants from Cabo Verde
You apply for a Schengen visa from the consulate of the country you’re visiting. If you plan on traveling to more than one country, you need to contact the consulate of the first country you’ll arrive in or the one where you’ll spend most time. Note, that you’re liable to pay extra if the consulate you apply through employs a visa service center to collate its applications.
The Residency by Investment Solutions to Schengen Entry Problems
TCNs can become European Union residents through European Residency by Investment programs. There’s the Greek Golden Visa, for example. Invest a minimum $250,000 and you’ll never have to apply for another Schengen visa for you and your family dependents.
The Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP) is a further way to ensure visa-free access through the 29 Schengen countries. The investment threshold is lower than in Greece, set at €100,000. The only downside to MPRP is that you can’t naturalize and become a EU national as you can through the Greek Golden Visa (after 7 years of residency in the country).
You will need to invest at least €325,000 to secure a Portuguese Golden Visa. An immediate benefit is your Portuguese residency, meaning there’s no Schengen visa needed to enter fellow zone countries. Your 5-year countdown to Portuguese citizenship also begins from your RBI application rather than the day you receive residency.
A Spanish Golden Visa is your final European Residency by Investment answer to Schengen entry issues. The minimum investment required is €350,000. There’s a 10 year naturalization period here that reduces to 2 if you’re applying as citizens of Latin America or the Philippines.
Your Citizenship by Investment Path to Schengen Visa-Free Access
Malta doesn’t only offer MPRP. There’s also MEIN. This stands for Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization and requires you to invest at least €600,000 in the country.
Community Malta Agency is the official Maltese Government body that handles all things corresponding to Maltese citizenship. To reiterate, the only way for a TCN HNWI to acquire this EU citizenship is through “exceptional services by direct investment in Malta.”
The Maltese passport is the advantage MEIN holds over MPRP. Our Passport Index ranks it the 8th most powerful travel document in the world. You’ll be able to travel to 122 destinations without a visa, 29 with a visa on arrival, and 25 by soliciting an eVisa in advance.
Schengen Visa FAQ
1.) Can My Family and I Use a Schengen Visa to Enter Multiple Countries?
Yes. There are 3 different types of Schengen visa. The single-entry visa allows you enter the Schengen area once and the multiple-entry visa as many visits as you can take within the validity period. There’s also an airport transit visa that “allows you to connect through the international transit area of an airport in the Schengen area during a stopover or a change of flights.”
2.) Do You Need Train Tickets for a Schengen Visa?
No. You need to inform the consulate you are applying for your arrival date and provide an address of your accommodation. The minimum amount of time you can apply for a visa is 15 days before and the maximum is 6 months.
3.) Can I Get a Two-Entry Schengen Visa First Time?
Yes. A consulate does not discriminate whether you’re applying for a visa for the first time. However, both single-entry and multiple-entry visa applications can be rejected and this is another argument in favor of investing in a new residency or second citizenship.
Choosing the Right RCBI Program For You
Selecting between Greece, Malta, Portugal, and Spain is a big decision. All these countries’ programs will eliminate your need for a Schengen visa. But they are equipped with extra benefits to take into consideration.
Is the Schengen aspect the main reason you’re looking into Residency and Citizenship by Investment? If so, the Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish Golden Visas are ideal. As is the Malta Permanent Residence Programme.
Choosing between them brings in a number of factors. In terms of cost, the Maltese is the most reasonable. However, there is no route to citizenship through the MPRP as there is with the Greek, Portuguese, and Spanish Residency by Investment programs.
If you’re looking for more than one solution than Schengen access, it’s difficult to look beyond Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization. This direct citizenship expedites your eligibility for an EU passport. There is, of course, the increased price tag to bear in mind.
Your next step should be to consult a Residency or Citizenship by Investment specialist like RIF Trust. A free consultation with us will allow one of our advisors to identify your specific needs and match them to a relevant program. So, contact us now, and we’ll show you how to start your journey to a Schengen visa free future today without delay.