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World Affairs
Mahesh

24/10/23 07:15 AM IST

Visa Shopping

In News
  • The practice of ‘visa shopping’ has been gaining popularity in several Indian states, including Punjab, where travel companies often facilitate this setup for travellers.
Visa Shopping
  • Visa shopping refers to obtaining visas for countries that individuals may or may not visit during the granted visa period.
  • This is because such visas can provide a gateway for people to enter their preferred countries, particularly in Europe, even if they have obtained a visa for another European nation.
  • Additionally, people who have no immediate plans to visit a specific country are also purchasing visas for such nations.
  • This is to increase the chances of obtaining visas for countries of their choice in the future, given how the application process often takes a long time or has chances of rejection.
  • Also, visas usually remain valid for a few years after being issued.
  • According to people involved in Punjab’s travel agencies, one popular example of this is the ‘Schengen Visa’, which provides a ‘golden opportunity’ for travellers by allowing them to explore many European countries without the need for separate visas.
Schengen System
  • Through an agreement between European countries, the Schengen system was established in 1985.
  • Under it, member countries form the Schengen area and people can travel freely between them without going through border controls.
  • Once within the Schengen Area, travellers can move freely across 27 countries (including 23 EU members and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
  • The visa allows travellers to enter the region for short stays.
  • The core idea is simple: get a visa for a single Schengen region country, such as Germany, France, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Iceland, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Poland, etc., and through it, one can get entry into another Schengen region country.
  • Schengen Visa is the most sought-after visa in ‘Visa Shopping’ trend due to its unique feature.
Legality of visa
  • This practice is not illegal if the traveller adheres to the norms and guidelines of the visa process and gets valid permission to stay in that country.
  • Legal concerns arise if a person seeks a visa for a particular country but stays in another, or shows that his/her intentions were not to stay in that country but to only use it as an entry point.
  • If any person repeatedly engages in visa shopping, officials may become suspicious.
  • Sometimes, countries raise an objection at the airport if a person’s visa is of another European nation and entry is to another.
Source- Indian Express

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