Since January 1, 2024, France has began issuing Digital Schengen visas, thus turning into the primary Schengen Space member to pilot all these visas within the European Union, earlier than a whole digitalization of the Schengen visa procedures someday in 2026.

French authorities are planning to subject round 70,000 digital visas for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic video games, scheduled to be held between July 26 to August 11 and from August 28 to September 8, 2024, in Paris, VisaGuide.World studies.

As a result of low variety of visas which might be deliberate to be issued by means of such a system, not everybody can be eligible to use. In accordance with French authorities, two classes of third-country residents requiring visas to enter France qualify for the French Digital Schengen visa:

• Members of the Olympic and Paralympic Household for whom an utility for accreditation is submitted to the Olympic or Paralympic Committee (OCOG).
• Different official company invited by the OCOG.

The primary class contains Members of the Worldwide Olympic Committee, the Worldwide Paralympic Committee, worldwide federations, in addition to members of nationwide Olympic and Paralympic committees.

On the identical time, a part of the primary class are additionally members of the Olympic Video games organizing committees and nationwide associations, extra particularly:

• Athletes
• Judges/referees
• Coaches
• Different sports activities technicians
• Medical personnel connected to groups or athletes
• Journalists accredited to the media
• Senior executives
• Donors
• Patrons

These eligible, will have the ability to apply for a visa by means of a a lot simplified and fewer time-consuming course of. Amongst others, they gained’t have to attend for an appointment, gather paperwork, or pay the conventional Schengen Visa charges. In actual fact, all classes eligible for a Digital Schengen Visa can be exempt from all visa and repair charges.

The process will differ a bit for the Members of the Olympic and Paralympic Household, and company. The primary will solely have to point out up on the visa heart on the scheduled time, and supply their passport, and legitimate accreditation certificates issued by the OCOG.

Whereas individuals invited by the OCOG to attend the video games might want to full a visa utility with France-Visas web site, and gather the paperwork listed there. They need to additionally present a a call for participation from the OCOG. No payment cost is required for this class both.

Offering biometrics – fingerprints and photograph – on the visa heart, is a should for each classes.

Spectators who want to attend the video games, alternatively, must apply for an everyday Schengen Visa.