Is It a Curse Not to be an EEA Citizen?

 It seems that not being an EEA citizen is a curse for us. Why? Because we do not have free movement to the Schengen area. Migrants like me legally residing in Ireland must need a visa to travel to any of the twenty-seven countries comprising the Schengen area. I’m a Bangladeshi-origin PhD student here in Ireland and I’m ready to fulfil the requirements to obtain a Schengen visa along with the visa and document processing fees. Albeit I did not even get an online appointment to submit the application for a Schengen visa from last February.

I constantly tried for an online appointment initially for the Netherlands and subsequently for Spain but failed to manage any yet. This is not a scenario for me alone, millions of immigrants coming from 105 different countries are suffering from the same problem for a long. Getting an online appointment for a Schengen visa for most of the popular EU destinations including the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Luxembourg, etc becomes a nightmare for legal residents in Ireland but neither an EEA nor a privileged country citizen who have visa-free travel right there. That is why, sometimes a few of my friends suggested me to try visa shopping meaning applying for comparatively less busy countries although I have no business or intention to stay there which has negative consequences as well if revealed later.  

Whenever I tried for an appointment on the designated portal, it always showed me there is no available slot on this category of visa at this moment. Normally, people need short-term Schengen visas for travel, business, conference, etc in any of the 27 Schengen countries. It is greatly frustrating that someone couldn’t go to Europe for leisure, conference, professional training, meeting family and friends, and so on only because the visa application process service providers do not have slot for an indefinite time without explaining a valid cause! This is simply unacceptable and illogical.

Usually, the process for application of visa is unnecessarily complex and cumbersome including filling up the application form properly, taking specific measured photos early, collecting various types of documents i.e proof of address, financial statement, evidence of legal residence in Ireland; accommodation, and flight booking; confirmation of health insurance; traveling to the application centre, keeping the passport there, etc. On top of that, agents of Embassies are pushing for extra services for additional money. Now, after all these stresses online visa appointments have become invisible dramatically!

Nonetheless, it is alleged that this highly expected and precious appointment could be managed through illicit means by paying extra money and compromising private information to the online brokers who seize slots once released by the concerned authority. Interestingly, the public is not informed about the opening time of online slots either by the Embassy or third-party service provider whereas the brokers know everything magically!

Although I got the reply that keep trying for appointment on our portal while I emailed to the Spain Embassy agent BLS International! Are the Embassies really helpless to prevent unauthorized access to their system by some illegal traders or they are not at all bothered about the sufferings of millions of non-EEA citizens? Is it believable that in the era of super technological advancement, they can do nothing to make the visa appointment readily available for genuine travellers from Ireland? However, frequent visits to the Schengen area will not only benefit the trippers but also boost the economy of those countries.

It is indeed pathetic that millions of travellers are being barred from visiting the Schengen area due to a mere technical negligence of the Embassies. Thus, the member States must take immediate measures to make the visa appointment available. Alternatively, the EU and the Irish policymakers should think of an alternative travel policy for the legal residents of Ireland to visit the Schengen area visa-free. 

Published in the Galway Advertiser on 1 August 2024.