Maison de la France director Pascal Lepetre has urged travel agents to take note of the new biometric requirements for the Schengen visa. Agents also need to keep in mind the online appointment system for Schengen visa application implemented in October 2007, added Lepetre. With nine new countries recently entering the Schengen Zone, travellers are now able to visit 24 European destinations with the visa, but they have been required to appear at the French Consulate in Dubai to supply biometric information since February. “Not all consulates are equipped with this biometric technology yet, as it is still in a trial period, but anybody applying at the French Consulate in Dubai has to go in person and have their picture and fingerprints taken - travel agents should be aware of this by now,” explained Lepetre.