Fiji's Mission in Brussels holds talks with EU to ease a process for applying for a Schengen Visa

Fiji's Mission in Brussels is holding discussions with the European Union to put in necessary arrangements to ease the process required by Fijians in accessing visa to travel to Europe.

This was highlighted by the Fijian Ambassador to Brussels Deo Saran who says that this will be saving Fijians time and costs currently associated with applying for the Schengen Visa to travel to Europe.

Saran says while Fiji is holding talks with the European Union on this new arrangement, a successful outcome of current talks will largely depend on individual approval by EU member states.

Saran says this will require the Mission to undertake consultations and bilateral discussions with the European Union member states to seek their support to have an agency in Fiji that can process the visa on their behalf.

He says they do hope to put in the necessary mechanisms in place by this year so they can have the visa processing arrangements done in Fiji.

The Ambassador says at the moment people have to travel all the way to Wellington or Vanuatu and it takes almost a week or so to get the visa to Europe.

Saran says having the visa processed in Fiji will be a huge relief for Fijians.