British travellers jetting off on holidays and business trips face extra red tape with a new travel rule for going to EU countries. ETIAS [European Travel Information and Authorisation Scheme] is a new permit that is being introduced for those crossing borders into Europe and will be linked to your passport.
There are 58 countries that are required to have a valid ETIAS and UK nationals are among those required if they travel to any of the European countries requiring ETIAS for a short-term stay. UK nationals who wish to stay longer must meet the entry requirements in accordance with national or EU migration law, such as holding a visa or residence permit, reports Birmingham Live.
The European Union says an ETIAS is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS permit as well. And there are 58 countries where people will need to have an ETIAS if going on a trip to Europe, which we have detailed below.With a valid ETIAS permit, you can enter the territory of the specified European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
The European Commission urged people to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation well in advance of their planned journey in case additional evidence or an interview is required before it is approved. An exact date for the launch of the ETIAS scheme has not been announced but it's expected to start in 2024.
Holidaymakers will need to apply online and pay a fee of €7 before travelling, according to reports. The scheme was originally due to start in 2021, but the European authorities have so far postponed the scheme’s launch date four times - most recently to 2024.