British tourists will have to pay to holiday in the EU under a plan to bring in a visa waiver scheme.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is being introduced for tourists who come from countries that are not in the EU or Schengen area but don't need to apply for visas to enter. That, due to Brexit, now includes the UK.
The European Union confirms UK passport holders who do not have residency in the EU or also hold an EU passport will need to apply for the ETIAS waiver to travel to the Schengen zone, which includes much of mainland Europe and countries popular with holidaymakers like Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Greece.
Read more: EU to charge British tourists to enter the Schengen zone
"British nationals, like all travellers coming from visa-exempt countries, will be required to have a valid ETIAS travel authorisation if they travel for a short stay (90 days within a 180 days period).
"British nationals who wish to stay for a longer period must meet the entry requirements according to national or EU migration law, such as visa or residence permit," the EU's border control information states.
The scheme is now expected to launch in November 2023 instead of May 2023. The ETIAS waiver will cost €7 per application, although it will be free for under 18s and over 70s.
Why is the EU charging British tourists to enter the EU through a visa waiver scheme?
The EU, which proposed the ETIAS scheme before the UK had voted to leave, says it is bringing in the ETIAS visa waiver as a security measure, as currently, it has "little information" about incoming travellers from nations that don't require visas to visit. British nationals can visit the EU, visa-free, for stays of up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
"EU Member States’ border management authorities currently have little information about travellers exempt from visa requirements entering the EU. ETIAS will therefore be an important means of addressing this information gap by supporting security screening and risk assessment of travellers, reinforcing the internal security of the Schengen Area," says the EU.
Brits already use a similar visa waiver scheme to travel to the USA.
Which EU and Schengen countries will I need a visa waiver to visit?
Once implemented, an ETIAS visa waiver will be necessary for British nationals to visit Schengen countries, which include many EU states plus Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.
Four EU countries are currently applying to join Schengen: Cyprus, Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia. The ETIAS may be a requirement for visiting those four before their Schengen applications are finalised, and will certainly be once they do join.
They are:
EU Schengen
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
EU but not yet Schengen (see above)
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Romania
Non-EU
- Iceland
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
British nationals will not require an ETIAS visa to visit the Republic of Ireland. The UK and RoI have a common travel area agreement.
The EU says: "The ETIAS Regulation applies to all EU Member States with the exception of Ireland. Nevertheless, when travelling to EU Member States that are not yet part of the Schengen Area (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia and Romania) please check the entry requirements for these countries before you travel as they might differ from country to country."
How do UK passport holders apply for ETIAS EU visa waiver and how long does it take?
British nationals will have to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver to enter the Schengen zone, through a website or app. After filling in a 10-minute application, those aged between 18 and 70 will then have to pay a fee currently said to be €7, which is around £6. Once paid, the application will be processed.
The EU will ask for personal data, a passport, the name of the country they first plan on visiting, and background questions about "criminal records, presence in conflict zones, orders to leave the territory of an EU Member State or other countries", the EU says.
The applicant will be screened against crime and watchlist databases. Most will get a response in minutes, but those flagged could face a wait of up to four weeks to find out if they've been accepted. The waiver will last for up to three years per application and can be used for multiple trips in that period.
What will the EU look into about me when I apply for ETIAS visa and what reasons could they reject it for?
Essentially, the EU or an EU member state will check your criminal record along with your travel and immigration history, while also evaluating your health. Your application will be checked across international databases, including Interpol.
A criminal record will not necessarily mean an application is refused, but it will be considered. If the conclusion is that the applicant poses security, immigration or health risk, it will be rejected.
"ETIAS will cross-check identity data provided by travellers in their application against a number of databases. If there is any concern regarding a particular application, it will be further verified and processed manually," says the EU.
What happens if my ETIAS visa waiver application is turned down?
Applicants do have a chance to appeal if they are refused. They can also reapply in the future.
The EU says: "If authorisation is refused, the relevant ETIAS National Unit will have to inform the applicant and provide him/her with information about the applicable national law, the necessary authorities to contact, the procedure to lodge an appeal against the refusal of an application, and any relevant deadlines. A previous refusal of a travel authorisation will not lead to an automatic refusal of a new application."
Will airlines, ferries, EuroTunnel and Eurostar check I have the visa waiver?
Yes, the EU says carriers will have to check if travellers have an approved ETIAS Visa Waiver before travelling. It explains: "If the traveller is in possession of a valid travel authorisation, the traveller will be able to continue their journey if all other entry conditions are fulfilled. If the traveller is not in possession of a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, border guards will refuse him/her entry and will record this refusal of entry in the Entry/Exit System."
Will EU/Schengen borders and customs guards check for an ETIAS visa waiver?
While airport, ferry terminal and station staff should check for ETIAS accreditation before British travellers set off to the EU, those who manage to slip will face questions at the border.
The EU says: "Border guards working at the border crossing points of the Schengen Area will scan travellers’ document data electronically and register them in the Entry/Exit System, thus triggering a query to ETIAS."
If you do not have an approved ETIAS, or a relevant visa for a longer stay, you will likely be turned away.
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