UK passport holders will need to register with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to visit 30 European countries, costing €20 per eligible traveller with under-18s and over-70s exempt
UK and other non-EU travellers will soon be required to pay for entry into 30 European countries as part of a new travel scheme. As a result of Brexit, UK passport holders will need to register with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to gain access to certain European nations.
The ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals visiting a select group of 30 European countries. With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, travellers can enter these European countries as frequently as desired for short-term stays, typically up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Originally, an ETIAS was said to cost 7 euros per person, but now EU chiefs have stated that the travel permit will cost almost triple that, at 20 euros per eligible traveller. Travellers aged under 18 or over 70 are exempt, so for a family of four travelling with two children, the cost would be 40 euros.
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The scheme has been delayed several times, and earlier this year the EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs estimated that the ETIAS will be introduced in the final quarter of 2026. There will then be a grace period, so applying for an ETIAS will not become mandatory until 2027.
The ETIAS is held digitally alongside the passport and will be required for journeys to these nations: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Cyprus will also need it once it joins the Schengen zone. The majority of applications are expected to receive approval “almost immediately”, though there may be cases where an ETIAS application gets rejected for various reasons including an invalid passport, being considered a “risk” or having a Schengen Information System (SIS) alert, providing an incomplete application, or not attending a mandatory interview.
Should your ETIAS application be refused, you possess the right to lodge an appeal.
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