Schengen visa process “corruption” in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT APPROVED ON 4TH OF OCTOBER A PROPOSAL TO GRANT ACCESS TO THE VISA INFORMATION SYSTEM (VIS) OF THE SCHENGEN PASSPORT FREE-TRAVEL AREA TO BULGARIA AND ROMANIA.

According to Middle East Monitor the EU fears of illegal activities on Schengen visa issuing practices in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, where as a result any Schengen visa issued in the last one year for such citizens of these countries is under EU investigations.

At this point, it is suspected that a network of criminal mediators collaborated with their own connections, local and EU consular officials working to the EU embassies and consulates in these countries, to issue unlawful Schengen visas for the above nationals.

The suspicion has been raised ever since the EU got the evidence for Schengen visa corruption in these three countries, counting a center in Algeria named “TLC Contact”. 

There are 400,000 Schengen visas issued for Algerians that are under the investigation, as the EU understood that the French embassy decided to close the cooperation the above center, as applicants claimed that they could not make a visa appointment because of the lack of available interview schedules. 

Such a lack is supposed to be as a result of clandestine deals of the embassy officials with criminal mediators by selling them available visa appointments in exchange of a specific money.

During the visa investigation process in these countries, the EU will examine if visa criteria has been met by candidates who already received a Schengen visa within the last year. 

Especially bank documents submitted when applying for the visa, showing candidate’s ability to cover accommodation and living costs while in Schengen will be in focus of the inspection, including also the period of visa allowed.