The European Union wants to change its visa rules to strengthen security and better use technology. But could a cost increase for visas make people reconsider traveling to Europe? Mariam Zaidi has more from Brussels.

Dong Wei is a 22 –year- old Chinese student in Brussels. Today is her last day interning at the European Parliament. Getting a visa to come to Europe wasn't difficult for Dong Wei. Her college in China had an exchange program with a Belgian university who helped her get a Schengen visa.

DONG WEI CHINESE EXCHANGE STUDENT "With this Schengen visa, I travelled not only in Belgium but in France, Germany and Netherlands and also Spain. If I applied for student visa by myself it would take a lot more time and I would need to prepare lots of other documents."

Europe's Schengen area allows passport-free travel across 26 European countries. But with the bloc looking to tighten its security in the wake of the worst migration crisis since the World War II and terror attacks, its common visa policy needed an upgrade. Under new proposals, the visa application times will be reduced from 15 to 10 days and multiple entry visas with longer validity will be given to frequent travellers. And application fees will be increased from 60 to 80 euros or between 75 to 100 dollars.

DIMITRIS AVRAMOPOULOS EU COMMISSIONER, MIGRATION AND HOME AFFAIRS "It also means that member states can maintain enough consular staff on a global scale worldwide, better serve applicants and upgrade their IT equipment and software to ensure stronger and security screenings."

So would the new rules make foreign travellers reconsider a visit to Europe?

DONG WEI CHINESE EXCHANGE STUDENT "Even though if we have a rise in application fee, the procedure is shorter and time is shorter too and now we can fill in electronic forms and submit on internet and this is easier."

MARIAM ZAIDI BRUSSELS "But it's also the first time the EU is directly linking visa policy to curbing illegal migration flows. Through the new visa code, the EU wants to toughen its stance against third countries who do not readmit economic migrants. Making it harder for citizens of those countries to obtain visas to the EU should their countries not oblige. Mariam Zaidi, CGTN Brussels."