Division 2.1.3 Extension of visa in exceptional circumstances

Article 9 of the Agreement stipulates that:

‘The citizens of Ukraine who do not have the possibility to leave the territory of the Member States by the time stated in their visas for reasons of force majeure shall have the term of their visas extended free of charge in accordance with the legislation applied by the receiving State for the period required for their return to the State of their residence.’.

Regarding the possibility of extending the validity of the visa in cases of force majeure -for instance, stay in a hospital due to unforeseen reasons/sudden illness/accident — where the holder of the visa does not have the possibility to leave the territory of the Member State by the date stated in the visa, the provisions of the Article 33(1) of the Visa Code apply as long as they are compatible with the Agreement (for example, the extended visa remains a uniform visa, entitling entry to the territory of all the Schengen Member States for which the visa was valid at the time of issue). However, under the Agreement the extension of the visa is done for free in case of force majeure.