Brits face new £17 visa-waiver charge to travel to Europe next year – more than DOUBLE previous costs

The Sun

4 days ago

BRITS are facing down new visa-waiver charges twice as expensive as previous costs.
Tourists to the EU could now be asked to pay as much as £17 (€20), a near three times increase on the original £6 (€7).
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The new charges could come into effect as early as 2026 and are expected to raise as much as £1.7 billion (€2 billion) in revenues.
Part of the eye-watering sum raised by the charges will pay for operating costs.
The fees would apply to nationals of dozens of countries when they visit the EU.
It comes after the EU published plans for a £1.7 trillion (€2 trillion) budget for 2028-34.
Alongside the new visa-waiver fees the budget included plans for proposed taxes on big companies, e-waste and tobacco.
The fees are known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation scheme (ETIA).
The ETIAs were originally £6 (€7), agreed in 2018, but the European Commission included in its budget plans suggestions for "additional other revenue."
This would come in the form of an adjusted ETIA fee.
The proposed EITA would see Brits charged £17 (€20) per application when visiting EU countries.
It will become law unless EU member states and the European parliament raise objections to the proposal in the next two months.
How to experience six European destinations for less than £500
It would apply to nationals of countries across the globe including Japan, Brazil, Canada and the United States.
Paying the visa waiver fee once will see it last for three years or until your passport expires.
Brits hoping for a holiday in Europe would have to pay the fee from 2026.
Any Brits currently living in the EU with status guaranteed under the Brexit withdrawal agreement will be exempt from the new higher rate.
Children and people over the age of 70 when they applied for a visa waiver will also be exempt.
Brits were previously able to travel to EU countries without a visa.
British passport holders can currently stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without needing to get a visa.
Longer stays require visas or visa waivers.
Holiday packing tips
Jemma Solomon, aka The Label Lady has got 5 packing tips to help you get organised for your next holiday.
1. Write a list
Think about all the essentials you need to take with you; suncream, medicine, a few games for the kids, beach towels, and write everything in one list, which you can tick off as you add it to your suitcase.
Or for complete ease, try Google's AI app - Gemini - which will create a list for you and help you not over pack.
2. Involve your kids
Jemma said: 'My girls are getting older, they're 11 and nine, and they enjoy helping to pack. So I send them a list, and say 'this is what you need' and they follow the list.
'And then I give them a rucksack each - and say to them 'you can have whatever you want in there as long as it's not liquid', and they can take that on the plane. And that's their 'home away from home' items.'
3. Try a hack or two
She said: "I think they all work, but for different reasons - and you've just got to pick the right one for your trip.
"Rolling your clothes is really good to stop your clothes from getting creases. And if you're trying to get a lot of items into your case, it's a space saver.
'Packing cubes are great - for example, I'm going on holiday with my three kids and we're all using the same suitcase for our clothes.
"These handy compartments let you separate your clothes, toiletries and tech into designated cubes, maximising luggage space by keeping your items compressed and neatly stacked.
"I love taking them abroad with the family and it means my kids can easily take charge of their own items once we've arrived."
4. Decant beauty products
Do you really need to take full-size bottles of shampoo and conditioner with you? The beauty industry has evolved so much, you can now buy shampoo bars or sheets - which are much lighter and smaller.
Or, if you'll be popping to the shops when you're abroad, consider buying some items when you arrive.
5. Get organised before you come home
Jemma said: 'When you repack on holiday [before coming home], the trick is to separate clean from dirty clothes.
'Also pack it in some form of order - so lights, darks, colours for items that need washing, or if you wash your clothes by person in the household, piles for each person.
"Then you can put it straight into the washing machine. Do it straight away, don't leave it."