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OBTAINING SCHENGEN VISA EASIER FOR ARMENIANS AFTER VISA REGIME FACILITATION AGREEMENT - EXPERT
YEREVAN, November 20. /ARKA/. The agreement on facilitation of visa
regime has really made it easier for Armenian citizens to obtain
a Schengen visa, head of Analytical Center for Globalization and
Regional Cooperation political analyst Stepan Grigorian said on the
air on Sputnik-Armenia radio channel.
Grigoryan said they carried out a monitoring in six consular offices
in Armenia as of the end of the first half of 2014 and tried to see
whether or not the opportunities provided by the agreement are used.
"I should say there are changes, but it is a long-lasting process
linked to increase of technical capacities in consular offices",
Grigoryan said.
The visa regime simplification agreement was approved by the European
parliament on October 9, 2013, and ratified by the parliament of
Armenia on November 11, 2013. The agreement is in force as from
January 1, 2014.
Under the agreement, Armenian citizens face fewer hurdles to travel
to the EU for short stays. The EU-Armenia visa facilitation agreement
aims to facilitate the issue of short-stay visas for an intended stay
of no more than 90 days per period of 180 days.
The new rules make the procedures quicker (the decision will have to
be taken within 10 days, in urgent cases two days or less), cheaper
(the visa fee for processing applications of Armenian citizens shall
amount to 35 EURO) and less bureaucratic (the documents to be presented
regarding the purpose of the journey have been simplified for some
categories of persons, in particular for close relatives, members
of official delegations, students, business people, journalists,
scientists, etc).
There are also simplified criteria for issuing multiple-entry visas.
Armenian citizens who are holders of diplomatic passports are exempted
from the visa requirement for short stays. Armenia exempted all EU
citizens from the visa obligation since 10 January 2013.
According to the agreement, citizens of Armenia have the right to
demand written explanations from consular departments of EU member
states why their visas were denied.
Yet, Grigorian said, the percentage of denials has remained practically
the same from the last year as the agreement has been just coming to
reality. Apart from this, Armenian citizens show lack of attention
in preparing documents, he said.
"I am convinced that if a person fills in the documents in a proper
manner and has a confirmed invitation, the probability of getting
visa is almost 100%", Grigoryan said.
Armenian citizens' Schengen visa applications were denied in about
11.5% of cases in 2013. -0--
http://arka.am/en/news/society/obtaining_schengen_visa_easier_for_armenians_after _visa_regime_facilitation_agreement_expert/#sthash.SGj69LSP.dpuf
YEREVAN, November 20. /ARKA/. The agreement on facilitation of visa
regime has really made it easier for Armenian citizens to obtain
a Schengen visa, head of Analytical Center for Globalization and
Regional Cooperation political analyst Stepan Grigorian said on the
air on Sputnik-Armenia radio channel.
Grigoryan said they carried out a monitoring in six consular offices
in Armenia as of the end of the first half of 2014 and tried to see
whether or not the opportunities provided by the agreement are used.
"I should say there are changes, but it is a long-lasting process
linked to increase of technical capacities in consular offices",
Grigoryan said.
The visa regime simplification agreement was approved by the European
parliament on October 9, 2013, and ratified by the parliament of
Armenia on November 11, 2013. The agreement is in force as from
January 1, 2014.
Under the agreement, Armenian citizens face fewer hurdles to travel
to the EU for short stays. The EU-Armenia visa facilitation agreement
aims to facilitate the issue of short-stay visas for an intended stay
of no more than 90 days per period of 180 days.
The new rules make the procedures quicker (the decision will have to
be taken within 10 days, in urgent cases two days or less), cheaper
(the visa fee for processing applications of Armenian citizens shall
amount to 35 EURO) and less bureaucratic (the documents to be presented
regarding the purpose of the journey have been simplified for some
categories of persons, in particular for close relatives, members
of official delegations, students, business people, journalists,
scientists, etc).
There are also simplified criteria for issuing multiple-entry visas.
Armenian citizens who are holders of diplomatic passports are exempted
from the visa requirement for short stays. Armenia exempted all EU
citizens from the visa obligation since 10 January 2013.
According to the agreement, citizens of Armenia have the right to
demand written explanations from consular departments of EU member
states why their visas were denied.
Yet, Grigorian said, the percentage of denials has remained practically
the same from the last year as the agreement has been just coming to
reality. Apart from this, Armenian citizens show lack of attention
in preparing documents, he said.
"I am convinced that if a person fills in the documents in a proper
manner and has a confirmed invitation, the probability of getting
visa is almost 100%", Grigoryan said.
Armenian citizens' Schengen visa applications were denied in about
11.5% of cases in 2013. -0--
http://arka.am/en/news/society/obtaining_schengen_visa_easier_for_armenians_after _visa_regime_facilitation_agreement_expert/#sthash.SGj69LSP.dpuf