Travel

[Alter Ego]

From TRAVEL & LEISURE

CAILEY RIZZO MARCH 07, 2019
Travel to Europe won’t be so easy come 2021.

In two years, Americans will need to apply for something called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) in order to enter the continent. The European Commission says the new visas will be enforced as an effort to upgrade international security, effective Jan. 1, 2021.

The ETIAS Visa for Americans will apply only to 22 countries in the Schengen Zone, including France, Germany and Italy. If you’re visiting the U.K., you will not need to apply for this visa.

At the moment, Americans traveling to Europe for less than 90 days don’t need any sort of visa.

The visa will be valid for three years and Americans won’t have to apply every time they want to visit. It will be valid for multiple entries.

The Europe Visa for Americans requires U.S. citizens to have a valid passport, credit or debit card and email address to apply. Costs are yet unknown. According to the ETIAS Visa website, “Applicants will need to fill out an online form with their contact details and passport information as well as answer some basic security questions.” If their application is denied, travelers will be able to contest the decision.

In early 2017, the European Union went back and forth over whether or not to pass new visa laws for Americans. In May 2017, the European Commission decided against reinstating visas for Americans, but stated that the decision was contingent upon the U.S. reciprocating visa-free travel for Europeans. At the time, then-secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) John Kelly said that the U.S. needed to reexamine its visa-waiver agreement with Europe, citing potential terrorism risks.

The current visa waiver agreement allows citizens of 38 countries to enter the U.S. for up to 90 days without a visa. Changes to the program were passed at the end of 2017.

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Sounds similar to what I needed to do for Australia. Easy to do online, although you will still find “services” that will offer to do it for a fee (unnecessary, IMO, for Australia and I’m going to assume just as easy for Europe.) Australia was electronic; took a couple (?) days to get confirmation and it was just shown online when they scanned your passport.

I’m sure is for security, but all that extra $$$ won’t be so bad either!

[phoenixbrd]

This doesn't surprise me.  Thank you for the heads up.

[Carmie]

Thanks for the heads up.

This requirement will cut down on Europe's tourism from Americans, first because of the cost...if it is high and second for the inconvenience.

i just hope the fee isn't as high as Brazil's visa.

i also wish The US didn't charge so much for our Visas as well.

[Alter Ego]

My Australia Visa wasn’t expensive- wish I could remember exactly.  I’m going online and see something that says A$20 and that feels right.  But there are plenty of places that will charge people $100 to do it for you!  And, really it’s easy. 

If its it’s the same with Europe, many people will not realize how easy it is and just pay these inflated prices.  And, just decide not to go.

The hard ones, I heard, are Vietnam and India.  Maybe Russia and China too.  I haven’t had to get those yet (actually did use a service for China but it was years ago and we had to cancel the trip anyways.)

I do have a Brazil visa; a little easier for me because there’s a Brazil consulate nearby. More expensive, but good for ten years.  Now I’m just trying to figure out how to get back there!

[Carmie]

@Alter Ego  I have been to China and VietNam and don't remember those Visas being expensive, but I do remember that there were vending machines at some of the airports where you had to pay for and have a ticket for some kind of exit fee.

Cambodia had an exit fee.  You had to pay in US dollars, cash only.  The fee was $25. If you did not have the correct change, you were given a roll of Halls Lozenges valued at 50 cents each instead of currency. 

So, if there was two people in your party and you only had US $20's and gave them $60, you got 20 rolls of Halls for change.  

Other counties also charge exit fees, but the cost is included in the ticket price.

[dawg lover]

Great, more fees for people who want or need to travel.  Renewing passports was $110 per person a few years ago; quite expensive for a whole family to renew at the same time, even though it is good for 10 years.  Recently, our family applied for the Trusted Traveler program ($100 each), so that we can go through TSA Pre-Check in the US and similar programs abroad, for 5 years.  The non-Pre-Check lines at our local airport are endless and TSA keeps pulling my son out for extra screening, since he is in that "suspicious" age range.  I wonder if other continents will start Visa programs of their own as well.

[SANNA]

This is very annoying development.Americans spend more money abroad than everybody else.  Hope this 3 year visa will be reasonable.... Oh, well.

[TW]

I am sure this is a 'get even' move for all the not so friendly comments by our President.  There are so many European/Americans who have family in Europe.  So what happens if there is a family emergency, death of a family member, etc.?  You have to wait for an entry visa?  We used to be best friends.   I find this sad.  Could it be that too many Americans entered Europe and decided to stay? 

[SANNA]

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@TW wrote:

I am sure this is a 'get even' move for all the not so friendly comments by our President.  There are so many European/Americans who have family in Europe.  So what happens if there is a family emergency, death of a family member, etc.?  You have to wait for an entry visa?  We used to be best friends.   I find this sad.  Could it be that too many Americans entered Europe and decided to stay? 

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Wow! Another Presidents fault...This mass hysteria is endless....

Any person who really travels regularly would never have this crazy conclusion .

I am from Europe and travel European countries every year. For those who  , God forbid, have emergency expedited emergency visa will be available, I have no doubt.

I do not think Americans are leaving the US. Americans have it better than anyone else. The Brits are the most who leave their country in search for better climate and better jobs ( my observation). They form the largest expats communities in European countries.

French, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Scandinavians are not moving anywhere. They work abroad though, see them all the time.

And  lastly, I have never heard our Prez speaking ill of the Europeans . His mother was from Scotland and 2 wives are from Eastern Europe. To criticize doesn’t mean speaking ill. They criticize us too, calling us names like ugly Americans... So what? Sometimes it well deserved. We are still friends.

[Alter Ego]

Ok - they are not calling it a Visa. It’s a screening and similar to something the US is doing. Will cost $8 and take 10 minutes to fill out online. I don’t see how quickly approval will come in. Australia takes a couple of days.

I still say that there will be (1) unscrupulous people who will say it’s easier if they do for you at a significant upcharge and (2) many people who go to the airport not knowing there is now an additional step (which was my purpose of posting). I also know someone who thought they had the Australia Visa only to find out at the airport that her application never went through. They were able to go the next day, but their business class seats now became middle economy!


Partial article from Sasha Ingbar, NPR

European Union officials have moved to clarify travel regulations for U.S. citizens, following erroneous reports this week that Americans will soon be required to apply for visas.

Last summer, the European Union announced that starting in 2021, it will require citizens from countries that don't currently require visas, including the United States, to apply for authorization in order to visit member states. The process will occur through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), an automated online system meant to strengthen security checks on visitors.

An application will cost about $8 and it will "not take more than 10 minutes," according to the European Commission. Responses will be cross-checked by Interpol and other security databases, and prospective travelers will receive an emailed approval or rejection in as little as a few minutes or as long as four weeks.

Confusion around the rules was caused after some media outlets, including NPR, reported that U.S. travelers will soon need a visa to reach Europe. Some of those reports cited the travel agency ETIASVisa.com, which says on its website that Americans will need to obtain "the Europe visa."

Molly Montgomery, a former career State Department official focused on Europe, said the authorization procedure is similar to a screening system that exists in the U.S., the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Europe's stance should be seen in the context of post-Sept. 11 responses to terrorism threats, Montgomery said.