Czechia to digitalize Schengen Visa processing with new electronic system

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Czechia will soon launch a new scheme, the Electronic Visa Information System (ELVIS), in an effort to facilitate and digitalise visa application and processing procedures.

As the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs has disclosed, the new Electronic Visa System will make it possible for visa applicants to complete the procedures online.

The same system will also help the country’s embassies abroad to process visa applications under a facilitated and digitised procedure, Schengen website reports.

ELVIS is intended to facilitate and at the same time digitize the process of submission and subsequent processing of Schengen visa applications at Czech embassies abroad as much as possible.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechia

According to the ministry, the new information system meets all the standards for the protection of data.

Moreover, the system will be created in such a way as to prevent any cyber-attacks that might put any sensitive data at risk.

The ministry believed that, among many other things, the new system will help to reduce the administrative burden. It will be easier for both parties, embassy staff and applicants, to undergo the visa procedures.

This will not only make the entire visa process more efficient but also reduce the administrative burden associated with it, which is currently placed both on the staff of the visa sections of embassies and on the applicants themselves.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Czechia

By working on launching this system, Czechia said that it is also meeting the EU’s requirements for including new elements in its system for granting visas and for keeping in check foreigners who enter the territory of the Schengen Area.

Czechia Was the 13th Largest Schengen Visa Application Receiver Last Year

Czechia is one of the Schengen member states that receives and processes a large number of visa applications each year.

In 2023 alone, Czechia received a total of 138,840 Schengen visa applications from foreigners.

During the same year, the country’s missions abroad processed a total of 138,276 visa applications. Of the total number of applications, Czechia approved 114,058 of them.

On the other hand, the country rejected a total of 24,218 Schengen visa applications.

Number of Schengen Visa Applications Received & Processed by Czechia in 2023

Turks, Saudis, Indians, and Kazakhs were the top applicants for Czech Schengen visas in 2023.

Last year, Turkish nationals applied for a total of 15,885 Czech visas.

Saudis applied for 15,450 Czech visas, Indians applied for 15,051 Czech visas, and Kazakhs applied for 11,357 Czech visas.