Brits will now need the document to enter 30 countries
As if travelling wasn’t expensive enough, it is about to get a little more costly.
Brits wanting to visit the likes of Spain, France and Greece and a host of other countries will now have to pay £6.
Previously, UK citizens could travel visa-free to these countries, but after the Brexit referendum, visa-free travel to set to end, after being postponed twice already.
European Travel Information and Authorisation Systems (EITAS) are set to be ready by Autumn 2024, and the Entry/Exit system in place by Spring 2025.
Because Britain is no longer part of the EU, Brits will need to pay for a document to get into various EU countries.
Those also on the list include Italy, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway. There is 30 countries in total – see the full list here.
When EITAS do finally come into force, Brits won’t be allowed into any EU country without buying the document, which will cost around £6.
As well as EU citizens, travellers under the age of 18 and over 70 won’t need the document.
Brits can’t yet apply for the ETIAS document.
The official EITAS site explains that the visa is linked to a traveller’s passport and will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, “whichever comes first”.
Anyone getting a new passport will need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
“With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays – normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
“However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.”
When travellers, Brits will have to have the document in their possession for the duration of their stay.
The EU say ETIAS are being created to “identify security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks posed by visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen States, whilst at the same time facilitate crossing borders for the vast majority of travellers who do not pose such risks”.
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