Amid the pandemic, warnings have been issued that the borders of the Schengen Area and its Associated Member states might remain shut till September 2020. This is not surprising given the current scenario where the EU has already extended the closure until mid-May.

When the time comes to lift these restrictions, those who wish to travel to Schengen countries will have to get tested for COVID-19 to present a negative result with their visa applications. In fact, visitors might have to take the test twice one when applying for the visa (nothing more than two weeks old) and one before travelling to the country to prove that they have not been infected in the interim. 

Once a vaccine has been introduced, tested and made available, all visa applicants will also have to get vaccinated against the virus. Similar precautions were also being taken up for swine flu and the Ebola virus, especially in worst-hit member states.

These measures are especially needed for France, Spain and Italy, countries with the most number of cases. Meanwhile, countries like Austria, Germany and Denmark are aiming for normalcy in the near future.