29 Jan 2026
Commission unveils first-ever EU Visa Strategy including measures for researchers
The European Commission has adopted its first-ever EU Visa Strategy, framing visa policy as a strategic tool for security, competitiveness and global influence – with explicit implications for science, research and innovation.
Alongside the strategy, the Commission has issued a Recommendation on attracting talent for innovation, aiming to make the EU more appealing to highly qualified professionals, students, researchers and innovative entrepreneurs, and to support Europe’s technological and economic competitiveness.
For the research and higher education sector, the most relevant elements include:
- Easier, more predictable mobility
Digital visa procedures and ETIAS will simplify and partly automate checks for both visa-required and visa-free travellers. Multiple-entry visas for trusted travellers and a common list of verified companies can facilitate repeated travel for research collaborations, conferences and industry partnerships. - Improved conditions for global talent
The Commission will explore amendments to EU rules on students, researchers and highly skilled workers, as well as a targeted legal framework for start-up and scale-up founders. Additional EU funding will support visa processing for highly qualified non-EU nationals, and European Legal Gateway Offices will help applicants and employers navigate procedures. - Attraction and retention of researchers and students
The Recommendation urges Member States to simplify and speed up long-stay visas and residence permits, ease transitions from study or research to work or entrepreneurship, and improve intra-EU mobility. It also calls for better coordination between authorities, universities and research organisations.
These measures align with initiatives such as Choose Europe and the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, positioning visa and mobility policy as key levers in Europe’s global competition for research and innovation talent.
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