RIYADH: The German and French governments have said accusations of discrimination in processing Schengen visas are “misleading and unfounded.”
Addressing a joint press conference at the German Embassy yesterday, German Ambassador Volkmar Wenzel and French Ambassador Bertrand Besancenot played down controversy that came to the fore following the publication of a report in which a spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs allegedly accused France, Germany and Italy of taking more time to process visas for Saudis.
The French ambassador said the accusations were “outrageous,” but assured better services in the future.
The ambassadors also demanded “reciprocity” when it comes to handling of European visa applicants by Saudi missions.
The press briefing cooled down the diplomatic sandstorm concerning Schengen visas for Saudi nationals granted by France, Germany and Italy. The two ambassadors also launched a new outsourcing plan for visa services called the German-French Initiative.
“This is an essential step since the growth of our bilateral relations in the fields of economy, technology, training and culture have led to a 10 to 20 percent increase in the number of Saudi visitors to Germany and France annually,” said Wenzel.
The Saudi side has reportedly said that their nationals are asked to submit more documents and wait much longer than the nationals of any neighboring country.
“Talks of boycotting France and their products over the visa issue also featured in several newspapers,” said a report carried by some local newspapers recently.
The report said Saudis want to be treated the same as the nationals of other Gulf countries.
The diplomats said they are simultaneously talking to Saudi officials to improve Saudi visa issuance systems, since many Gulf states, except Saudi Arabia, grant visas to Europeans on arrival.
“The percentage of refusal for Saudi visa applicants is minimal,” said the German envoy, while defending the screening process that takes 10 to 14 working days.
