Ministers were notified on October 19 by eu-LISA, the EU agency in charge of ETIAS and the upcoming digital Entry/Exit system, that further time is required for the implementation of the amendments. The ETIAS programme will thereafter begin in the first half of 2025. ETIAS will start charging $7.70 for entrance into EU nations when it launches. As the name implies, it’s a mechanism for travellers from nations whose entry into Europe is visa-free to preregister their travels. It’s not a visa. Those who now require visas in order to enter will continue to require them.
Although many US citizens seem stunned by the change. It may surprise them to learn that the ETIAS system is based on the US government’s 2009 introduction of the ESTA visa waiver programme. Of course, people of many nations also require “real” visas in order to enter EU nations. Which is an expensive and time-consuming procedure.
ETIAS Date
ETIAS was supposed to launch in May 2023, but it has been delayed multiple times. As of right present, it is scheduled to launch in 2024. That has now been rescheduled for 2025 once more. There’s no need to fret about enrolling for your Mediterranean summer of 2025 as applications cannot be submitted in advance.
Who Required It
Currently, citizens of the roughly 60 non-EU nations—including the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates—do not require a visa in order to enter the EU. All EU citizens, regardless of their country, are excluded. On the other hand, those who presently require a visa in order to enter the EU will still require one.
Working
The operation of ETIAS will be comparable to that of the US ESTA programme. Before departing, travelers must use a straightforward online procedure to request authorization to enter the EU. It will cover numerous entries for three years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, and will set you back 7 euros ($7.70). That is less expensive than an ESTA, which is $21 for a two-year period.
According to EU predictions, applications should be handled in “minutes,” with the bulk being finished in 96 hours. However, they caution that certain candidates might be required to submit more information or documents or to take part in an interview with national authorities, which might take an extra 30 days. It advises delaying travel or lodging reservations until you obtain confirmation.
Other Taxes
Today, most European cities charge an overnight visitor a “tourist tax” that is typically added to your bill at the conclusion of your stay and occasionally has to be paid in cash. When you arrive at an Airbnb, the hosts will usually take this from you. Typically, the charges are used to offset the costs of municipal services like street cleaning and trash collection that are impacted by tourists. For instance, Amsterdam recently increased funding for its public transport system by 7 million euros. Additionally, they are often only billed for a predetermined amount of time, up to a week. In this manner, if you remain longer, you get rewarded.