Travel to the 26 countries in the Schengen Zone will soon come with an added cost, with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) set to be implemented in May 2023.
Similar to the US’s Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA), the ETIAS is expected to improve EU security by requiring foreign travellers to undergo a security check prior to their arrival.
Under the new system non-EU travellers from visa waiver nations – including those from the UK and US – will need to apply online for authorisation and pay a fee of €7 (about £6) for every applicant, regardless of age and nationality.
The online application is expected to take 10 minutes and, once approved, will be valid for three years and for multiple entries. Air and sea carriers will then need to verify the status of the travel document prior to boarding.
The details of non-EU travellers will be checked against Europe’s Entry/Exit System, the Visa Information System, the Schengen Information System and a centralised system for the identification of EU member states holding conviction information on non-EU nationals. The checks are intended to help identify people ahead of travel who may pose a risk to security or health, as well as checking for compliance with migration rules.
First proposed in 2016 and approved in 2018, the ETIAS will not change which non-EU countries are subject to a visa requirement and will also not introduce a new visa requirement for nationals of the 50-plus countries that are visa-exempt.
BTN Europe previously examined how the scheme could potentially cost British companies €40 million a year.