The rules on who gets a visa and how the application process works were decided by the EU a decade ago.
Simpler process
According to the EU, the rules are long overdue for an update: "Our procedures for visa applications have not changed since 2010 and we just needed to update them to make them less cumbersome, but keep the same level of security," EU spokesman Adalbert Jahnz told DW.
The EU has threatened longer application processes, further increasing fees, or limiting the validity of visas.
"It is important to recall that any more restrictive implementation of certain procedures will not call into question the basic possibility for people to submit an application or to be granted a visa," EU spokesman Jahnz explained.
But the EU is also dangling a carrot for prospective applicants: If you do your homework on the visa application process properly, you'll be rewarded with lower fees, or a faster process.
