Article from BTNews 9 AUGUST 2021
Charge to enter Europe
British nationals will have to pay a visa waiver fee to enter Europe’s Schengen Area from next year.
The European Commission has confirmed that an online platform – the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) – will launch before the end of 2022.
ETIAS authorisation will cost €7 for all applicants between the ages of 18 and 70 but will be a one-off fee, valid for three years, and will allow multiple entries into Schengen states.
Travellers will need to fill in an online application form via an official website or app to receive approval.
The European Commission said: “a vast majority of cases (expected to be over 95%) will result in automatic approval.”
If further checks are needed, the authorisation may take up to 30 days.
The European Commission said: “This prior verification of visa exempt non-EU citizens will facilitate border checks; avoid bureaucracy and delays for travellers when presenting themselves at the borders; ensure a coordinated and harmonised risk assessment of third-country nationals; and substantially reduce the number of refusals of entry at border crossing points.”
But Boris Johnson’s Government made clear that it has no plans to bring in a reciprocal fee for arrivals from the EU and Schengen area countries.
“I believe we have no plans to do that,” Junior Education Minister Michelle Donelan told LBC on Wednesday. “We have our visa plans already outlined.”
https://etias.com
OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)
All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum
Bernard van den Berg , U.K.
As a Third Country now to the EU this is the reality. Just one of many things the UK was warned about (in fact a rule which UK rule makers helped draft).
L. Stephen Davis, Toronto, Canada
The UK should simply reciprocate and apply a fee to EU citizens wishing t enter the UK. I'd guess the UK would take in more than the EU does.
Allan Schoenherr, Prague CZ
This is not a "spiteful action" in order to punish Brexit, this applies to ALL non-EU visa exempt visitors. It has literally nothing to do with Brexit at all! Once again, by not being part of the EU the UK loses the benefits, freedoms and advantages of being part of the EU, they knew that before they left and still managed to convince the voters to Leave. And now the papers are filled with stories of retribution, its laughable honestly. I know that BTN was a pro-Brexit publication but surely even BTN would not blame Brexit for this!
Bernard van den Berg , U.K.
As a Third Country now to the EU this is the reality. Just one of many things the UK was warned about (in fact a rule which UK rule makers helped draft).
Franz Plachy, Norwich
Just another spiteful action to "punish " the UK for Brexit. I trust the UK will reciprocate and introduce a similar charge. The treasury could use the money and maybe the EU will re-consider and excempt UK passport holders
David Starkie, London
In 2018 for example, there were about 50/60 million non-British arrivals in the UK, so if a charge of ,say, £5 was levied (equivalent to the EU charge) this would accrue about £0.25 bn for the exchequer (less processing costs).