Common Visa Center to issue Belgian and Finnish visas from Oct. 1

As of October 1, Moldovan citizens will be able to apply for short-stay visas for Belgium and Finland at the Common Visa Application Center, hosted by the Hungarian Embassy in Chisinau, Info-Prim Neo reports. Hungarian Ambassador György Varga has told a news conference on Wednesday Greece will join the Center from 1 January 2010, while negotiations with the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Croatia and Slovakia are underway. “This project has gained popularity in the EU's foreign affairs, a good example of cooperation with third-party countries. The Center is also popular among the Moldovan citizens, because they don't have to waste time and money anymore to get a visa by traveling to a neighboring country”, the ambassador stated at the conference. György Varga says the Center is also an example of how Hungary endorses the modernization and the European aspiration of Moldova, regardless of the color of the government. The ambassador added the Center is ready to receive even a bigger number of applicants expected with the appearance of these new members. Opened on 25 April 2007, the Common Visa Application Center receives visa applications for Hungary, Austria, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, Estonia, Sweden, Iceland, and Luxemburg, all members of the Schengen space. Since its opening, the Center has issued over 13,000 visas for the Moldovans. From the beginning of the year the Center rejected 13 percent of applications. Visas are issued within 10 days for a fee of 35 euros.