Americans Will Have to Pay a Fee to Enter Europe Soon
European travelers will have an unexpected expense added to their vacation next year: an entrance fee.
European authorities have announced the implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), a platform where most non-European visitors will have to register and pay a €7 fee (around $7.50) to enter any of the 26 European countries included in the program. The ETIAS will be required next spring and once approved will be valid for three years.
What Does This Mean for Those Planning on Traveling Abroad Soon?
According to the ETIAS website, it will only take 10 minutes for most applications to be approved but a small percentage (less than 5%) may require up to thirty days to be authorized.
The application will require your passport document information or equivalent, the first EU country you intend to visit, and background questions. Some of the background questions could include information about any previous criminal record, presence in conflict zones, or any orders to leave a territory. Once the ETIAS is approved, it will be valid for three years or the validity of your travel document.
More tourists are interested in visiting Europe now that COVID-related travel restrictions have been eased but must stay up to date with ETIAS and any new rules they might have to consider when planning.
What You Must Know About ETIAS
ETIAS — now popularly known as “visitor tax”— is similar to the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization entry approval system. Non-European travelers will have to register online, fill out a form, and complete an electronic process to enter the European Schengen Zone and stay for up to 90 days.
The countries that will require ETIAS for certain travelers are Austria, Belgium, The Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
At the moment, a list of over 60 countries — which includes the United States and Canada — are part of the visa-free agreement with the EU, and now all travelers from those nations will have to register before arrival. Those between 18 and 70 years old will have to pay the fee unless they have applied for another type of visa.
These are the main considerations regarding the process:
- ETIAS online application will only take about 10 minutes.
- Authorities will request personal information, travel documents information, destination details, and background questions.
- Travelers between 18 and 70 years old will have to pay the €7 fee.
- Once the application is submitted, an automated system will validate the information. 95% of applications will get a response within minutes.
- If approved, the travel authorization will be valid for 3 years or until the travel document — such as a passport — expires.
- If denied, the traveler will receive a justification and information in case someone wants to appeal.
- Carriers will request ETIAS’s travel authorization and once at the Schengen area border the guard will finally allow or deny the traveler’s entry.
This won’t go into effect until May 2023, but if you’ve already got travel plans to Europe, you should add this to your pre-trip checklist.
