Muscat: Travel insurance that covers the whole territory of the Schengen Area remains mandatory for all Schengen Visa applicants, even with the most recent update of the Visa Code of the European Union, according to schengenvisainfo.com.
In fact, the Updated Schengen Visa code which came into force on February 2, and now applies to all Schengen embassies, consulates and visa centers abroad, highlights the importance of travel insurance for visa application, in particular for multiple-entry visa applicants.
Among many changes to the Visa code, the paragraph on travel insurance has remained untouched, just as it was in the Regulation (EC) No 810/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 July 2009, which entered into force on April 5 of 2010.
“… Applicants for a uniform visa for one or two entries shall prove that they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance to cover any expenses which might arise in connection with repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical attention and/or emergency hospital treatment or death, during their stay(s) on the territory of the Member States.
The insurance shall be valid throughout the territory of the Schengen Area Member States and cover the entire period of the person’s intended stay or transit. The minimum coverage shall be 30,000 euros.
All planned future trips, Schengen visa applicants must ensure their travel insurance for Schengen meet the criteria set by the European Union, the main of which are:
The insurance must cover the whole territory of the Schengen Area.
The minimum coverage must be 30,000 euros.
The insurance must cover all expenses that may arise due to a health complication or accident and repatriation in case of death.
The new code even lists the absence of adequate travel insurance as a reason strong enough to reject a visa application to any of the Schengen member countries.
“This decision is based on the following reason(s): 16. You have not provided proof of possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance,” the standard form for notifying reasons for refusal, annulment or revocation of a visa lists among 18 total reasons for not granting a visa.
The updated code states that travelers applying for a multiple-entry visa will have to prove they are in possession of adequate and valid travel medical insurance covering the period of their first intended visit.
In this regard, even the new visa application form established by the EU has a declaration at the end that states “I am aware of the need to have an adequate travel medical insurance for my first stay and any subsequent visits to the territory of Member States.”
The new Schengen Visa Code brings a lot of changes for visa applicants, among the most important the increase of visa fees by 33.3%, extended application submission periods from three to six months in advance of a trip, and benefits for frequent travelers with a positive visa history.
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