eu-com-schengen-coop

LOCAL SCHENGEN COOPERATION (LSC) IN THE HASHEMITE
KINGDOM OF JORDAN
2013-2014 REPORT 63
1. Introduction
14 Schengen Member States have consulates in Amman and issue visas (AT, BE, CZ, FR, DE,
EL, HU, IT, NL, NO, PL, ES, SE, CH). There are several non-represented countries (EE, DK, FI,
IS, LV, LU, MT, PT, SL, SK) that are represented by another Schengen country. Those countries
which are not represented in Amman have their nearest consulates in Cairo (MT, IS, LV, LT, PT,
SI), Ankara (EE, FI) and Beirut (SK, DK).
As a result of the Syrian crisis and the subsequent closure of embassies in Damascus, most
Schengen embassies in Amman are authorised to receive applications from Syrian nationals.
However, the majority of Syrians apply in Beirut, whereas the consulates in Amman receive lower
numbers of applications. In the case of SE, all Syrian nationals need to apply in Amman. Some
countries have no restrictions on where Syrians should apply (FR), where others have authorised
Beirut and Amman to receive the applications (PL, NL, AT, IT, CH, BE, HU, CZ, ES, EL), with the
majority being processed in Beirut. DE receives visa applications from Syrians both in Ankara,
Beirut and Amman.
There are several MS that are not represented in Iraq and these only issue visas for Iraqi nationals
at their embassies in Amman.
Three countries have outsourced collection of applications to an external service provider (VFS),
those being ES since 01/01/2012, IT since 01/08/2012 and EL since 15/02/2013. VFS applies an
administrative fee on top of the visa fee. An appointment system is in place for those applicants that
prefer to apply for the visa at the embassy in question. SE is preparing a process of outsourcing
collection of applications.
2. LSC meetings held in 2013-2014
Six regular LSC meetings took place in the period of April 2013 – March 2014. All meetings were
generally well attended by Schengen Members. The meetings were chaired by the EUD throughout
the reporting period, who also drew up summary reports (EUD reports) from the meetings. The
reports were shared with the LSC before further circulation. LSC members share the reports with
their capitals.
In July 2013 an ad-hoc meeting was arranged for LSC, consuls and police liaison officers to debrief
the group about the second expert mission within the EU-Jordan Dialogue on Migration, Mobility
and Security. If a Mobility Partnership between Jordan, the EU and its Member States is signed, it
is foreseen to include negotiations on a Readmission Agreement with provisions on third country
nationals as well as negotiations on a Visa Facilitation Agreement.
3. State of play
63 April 2013 – March 2014
12893/14 PR/lm 101
DG D 1 A
EN