Analytical Centre on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation
Beginning from 2009, finger prints of the citizens of
Armenia will be required for submission of applications for Schengen visas.
As most of the Schengen states do not have consular missions in Armenia, the
process of obtaining visas will become very costly. For instance, filing an
application at one of consular authorities in Moscow (for Estonia, Hungary,
Slovakia and some other countries) will cost about 400 Euros because of the
flight costs. The situation will first of all affect students, youth
activists, and NGO workers. Similar difficulties will be faced by citizens
of Azerbaijan, Georgia and number of other states.
It is important that recently Poland and Sweden proposed the ‘Eastern
Initiative’, which has been supported by all EU member states. Within the
framework of that initiative it has been planned to develop of cooperation
between the European Union, on one side, and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine, on the other side. In particular, measures aimed to
facilitation of visa procedures for young people, students, scholars, civic
activists were proposed.
We would suggest establishing a ‘Schengen Visa Centre’ in Yerevan, where
authorised personnel would receive applications for visas and collect finger
prints, with subsequent forwarding of data to appropriate consular
authorities. The Centre might be based on the premises of the consulate of
one of the Schengen states represented in Yerevan.
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