Brits Required to Pay €7 for EU Visas by End of 2022

When a new program takes effect by the end of 2022, Brits traveling to the Schengen countries of Europe will have to apply for a visa that costs €7 (about £6).

The European Commission released an update on Tuesday (3rd August) that included information on the schedule for the European Travel Information and Authorization System.

According to the announcement: “Visa-exempt non-EU nationals will only need a few minutes to fill in an online application which in a vast majority of cases (expected to be over 95%) will result in automatic approval.

“The process will be simple, fast and affordable: the ETIAS authorization will cost €7, which will be a one-off fee, and will be valid for three years and for multiple entries.”

As a result of the Brexit referendum, the United Kingdom has exited the European Union, and its nationals will be among those required to register and receive authorization before traveling to Schengen nations.

Prior to their trip, the system will cross-check travelers against EU information systems for internal security, borders, and migration,  “helping to identify ahead of time people who may pose a risk to security or health, as well as compliance with migration rules”, EC said.

The program was supposed to commence in 2021, however, it was postponed due to the Covid crisis.

The Schengen Area, which includes 26 nations, allows for free and unrestricted movement of persons. Except for Ireland, it covers the majority of EU countries.

The ETIAS (Electronic System Travel Authorisation) is defined as “Europe’s version of the US ESTA,” and it costs $14 (just over £10) and is valid for two years.

The ETIAS system, according to the Sun, is  “another blow to the travel industry which has been brought to its knees by the pandemic”.