AI in Schengen Visa Processing: Towards a Common EU Roadmap

Description

The processing of short-stay visas giving access to the European Union (EU or Union) stands on the precipice of its most significant transformation since the establishment of the common visa policy. With the adoption of the visa digitalisation regulatory framework, the Union has committed to moving from traditional, paper-based workflows towards a unified, electronic application environment centred on the upcoming Visa Application Platform (EU VAP) set out in the Visa Digitalisation Regulation. This shift coincides with a major technical upgrade of the Visa Information System (Regulation (EU) 2021/1134) VIS) and its integration into the wider EU interoperability architecture. Interoperability will enable large-scale EU Information Technology (IT) systems such as VIS, the Schengen Information System (SIS), the Entry-Exit System (EES) and others to work together through shared components, allowing authorities to cross-check identities and data across systems more quickly and consistently. This overhaul will create both the technical basis and the policy need to consider how advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities, could be integrated into visa processing workflows.

This Policy Brief argues that the introduction of advanced technologies into Schengen visa processing is already an unfolding operational reality that could help the EU pursue several strategic objectives. By helping to sort, organise and screen digital data before the examination by visa officers, such tools could speed up the processing of applications and improve fraud detection. The institutional benefits of such an upgrade extend far beyond visa processing itself, helping ministries of foreign affairs address staff shortages and alleviate routine administrative burdens on diplomatic and consular staff. The carefully governed use of AI could also support evidence-based policymaking and implementation.