France will become the first EU country to issue fully digital Schengen visas. However, for now, only athletes, members of the press, and members of foreign delegations arriving at the 2024 Olympic Games will be able to receive them.
The new Olympic Consulate system began operating on January 1, 2024, through the France-Visas portal. Such visas will be integrated into guests’ accreditation cards; they will not be affixed to passports.
The Olympic Consulate is expected to receive applications from 15,000 international athletes, 9,000 journalists, and foreign delegations participating in upcoming sporting events.
It has not yet been announced when ordinary tourists will be able to receive digital visas. For this purpose, the EU should launch an automated entry/exit system (EES), which is expected to be operational by the end of 2024.