EU lawmakers want to reintroduce visas for US citizens
Brexit has been triggered by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Today, article 50 will be triggered and with it, the formal process for Britain to leave the EU will begin.
Whilst not immediate, significant changes will be made to the way people from the UK travel throughout Europe.
The European Commission’s ETIAS is one of these proposed changes.
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The ETIAS would ensure possible security threats are identified and dealt with outside EU borders
What is the ETIAS?
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is the European Commission’s proposed visa scheme for post-Brexit visitors to the EU.
Although it's currently under negotiation, should the visa system be approved it will only apply to non-EU visitors – and this will soon include Britons.
Travellers entering the European Union would have to apply for an ETIAS visa, similar to the ESTA used by the United States.
According to the European Commission, the visa would check the individual’s security credentials and charge a fee for the process.
On the ETIAS website, the European Commission explained its intention to “improve the security of the Schengen area primarily requiring these visa-free travellers to obtain travel authorisation and undergo various security checks prior to their arrival to the EU.
“The ETIAS would ensure possible security threats are identified and dealt with outside EU borders and ensures citizens remain safe from such threats inside the EU.”
If approved, the visa scheme will be in effect by 2020.
Who will the ETIAS apply to?
Currently countries including the UK, United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada do not need a visa to enter Europe but with the introduction of the ETIAS, all this will change.
The scheme would apply to the 54 countries which currently don’t require a Schengen visa to visit the EU.
Travellers in Europe for tourism, business or transit for up to 90-day stay in any 180-day period would be affected.
The UK’s inclusion in the visa scheme is likely, but will depend on negotiations to be held post-Brexit.
How will the application process work?
The ETIAS will be applied for online prior to arrival in the EU.
Travellers will have to supply the following information:
- Personal biometric data
- Passport or travel document information
- EU member state of entry
- Background health information
- Criminal record
- Previous EU immigration history
The fee will be €5 for adults; free for those under the age of 18.
Each application will be checked against Europol and other security data as well as manual processing.
An application decision will usually be reached within a few minutes.
If approved, the visa is valid for five years or until the person’s passport expiry.
The scheme applies to travel by air, land and sea.