Colombians will still need to apply for a Schengen visa if they are traveling to the European Union this year, EU ambassador Maria Van Gool clarified in a press conference in Bogota on Wednesday.
Van Gool clarified the visa requirements a day after the EU had publicly announced that Colombian and Peruvian citizens would no longer require a visa when entering EU countries as tourists.
MORE: EU announces end to visa requirements for Colombians
She stated that before the need for a visa can be waived a number of requirements, including the need for the Colombian government to present a report outlining what changes the country has achieved at a national level and the reasons why its citizens should be allowed into the 26 Schengen states, El Tiempo reports.
Despite this, the process of altering the visa requirements for a around 24 of countries—including Colombia and Peru—was endorsed by the ambassadors of the EU on Wednesday, according to the magazine Semana.
In the case of Colombia and Peru, the ambassadors explained that the European Commission would need to carry out a “risk analysis”on a list of criteria— such as the risk of illegal immigration, the impact for public order and security, the economic advantages or the effect on tourism and external trade, according to Semana.
Sources
- Eliminación de visa Schengen no estará lista este año (El Tiempo)
- Un nuevo apoyo para eliminar la visa a la UE (Semana)
