Visas

US President Donald Trump has announced travel restrictions to and from Europe in an effort to combat the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19, the BBC reports. The new rules enter into force Friday at midnight.

Turkey announced on Feb. 27 it will provide citizens of four EU countries and Norway, 90-day visa exemption for tourist travel.

Turkey will provide 90 days visa exemption to six Schengen countries, beginning from March 2, on travel for touristic purposes, said a written statement by the Foreign Ministry spokesman on Feb. 20.

EU Visas are now € 80 instead of the previous € 60, European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said.

He described the increase as "moderate". Mamer added that it would allow the necessary resources to be maintained to process applications, as well as to track potential security and illegal migration risks.

The increase is the first of its kind since 2006.

Romania has met all the requirements for accession to Schengen, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban told a press conference held at the headquarters of the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union on Thursday. He had earlier met the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. "We have approached the Schengen issue.

The performance and the reputation of the "Golden Visa" residence permit program in Greece are being tarnished by the presence of a number of companies that are of doubtful origin and solvency and have been active in the local market over the last couple of years despite lacking the necessary funds.

A joint ministerial decision broadening of the criteria for non-European Union citizens to be granted a five-year residence permit, or Golden Visa, was published in the government gazette on Thursday.

Human Rights Watch, HRW, on Friday said Croatia should not be allowed to joint the passport-free Schengen area because of its "unlawful" and violent pushbacks of refugees and asylum seekers.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System, ETIAS, is a visa waiver programme that aims "to strengthen the borders of the Schengen Area by pre-checking the data of travellers before they enter the zone", according to the ETIAS website.

The system was being introduced because the alternative was to return visas and take biometric data at consular posts, Banjaluka based "Nezavisne" reports.