Britons are set to be hit with extra paperwork and eventually higher costs when travelling to the European Union (EU).
A new entry and exit system for travelling around the EU will eventually require British travellers to get a European Travel Information and Authorisation Scheme (Etias) visa waiver. But it has raised fears of “queues in terminals and at ports”, said National Geographic.
British travellers visiting Europe’s Schengen Area “can expect to be fingerprinted and provide a facial biometric”, said Simon Calder in The Independent.
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The system is set to be introduced this year but has been “repeatedly pushed back”, as the database was “far from ready”.
What is an Etias?
The Etias is the latest effort by the EU to “improve border security”, said Euronews.
The aim, added Yahoo News, is to “enhance security by identifying potential threats or risks” with short-term visitors.
This will allow travellers from third countries, including the UK, to get authorisation for short stays in the Schengen Area without a visa.
The initiative is due to be launched six months after a new entry-exit system (EES) that will require non-EU citizens such as Brits to provide biometric data whenever they enter any of the 29 European countries that belong to the Area.
But there will be a grace period, added The Independent, so UK visitors will have “at least a year” to comply.
The scheme will replace passport stamping, said Which?, but “is expected to cause delays at busy airports and ports such as Dover”.
However, the introduction of the EES has “already been delayed several times”, said Metro, and the exact date is “still to be confirmed”.
How much will an Etias cost?
Once introduced, the Etias will cost €7 (£6) per person.
The European Commission insists this is “way cheaper” than the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta), said Metro, which costs £10.75 per person.
Travellers aged under 18 and over 70 won’t need to pay the fee, said The Times, “but will still need to apply”.
How will the Etias work?
Visitors will need to complete an online application form on the official Etias website or app and upload a photo of their passport.
The European Commission has “promised” that the “vast majority” of applicants will get their waiver “within minutes”, said Which?.
Travellers will need to provide passport information and respond to “background questions”, about criminal records and medical conditions, said BBC News.
The visa waiver will last for three years or until your passport expires, if sooner, and allows an “unlimited number of visits”.
Watch out for scams though, warned The Times. Websites offering information and forms have already appeared, but the official website “is the most reliable resource to use”.
This isn’t a punishment for Brexit, added The Independent. The UK asked to be subject to “all the extra red tape that everyone already knew was on the horizon” so “Brussels is delivering exactly what we asked for”.
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