Brits to face even pricier new visas when travelling to Europe – despite not even launching yet
HOLIDAYS to Europe could get more expensive as the European Commission looks to ramp up fees for a new travel document that has not even been introduced yet.
The EU is gearing up to introduce the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) scheme
next
year, following the introduction of the
Advertisement
2
The EU is gearing up to introduce the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) scheme next year
Credit: Alamy
Essentially, ETIAS will be a requirement for any non-EU national from a visa-exempt countries which includes the UK, for short-term stays in the
But the online fee to enter the ETIAS scheme could be more than initially planned.
Current plans for
travellers
heading from outside the bloc include them paying €7 (£5.98) as part of an online application.
However, now the European Union is looking to raise that price, despite the scheme not even having launched yet.
Advertisement
Read more on Europe
The reason for this is because they want to use the fee to help with repayments on a €350billion (£299 billion) debt, which was used to fund the post-Covid recovery, reports
Currently it is estimated that only €215million would enter the EU's budget from the ETIAS fee after operational fees are deducted.
For Brits, this would be another blow as they already face longer queues since Brexit.
The publication added how ETIAS is one of the more popular tax choices ahead of budget plans which are due to be discussed next month.
Advertisement
Most read in News Travel
The documents revealed by Politico state: "Given that the EU fee for ETIAS is one of the lowest among comparable systems in the world, it seems there is a possibility of a gradual increase of the fee, strengthening the long-term revenue potential."
The fee is currently lower than the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) which is required from non-Brits to enter the UK and costs £16.
All Brits aged 18-70 will have to pay to visit Europe from next year – here is everything you need to know about ETIAS
It is also less than the current Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Brits need to visit America which is $21 (£15.60).
Sun Travel has contacted the European Commission for comment.
Advertisement
At the moment the price for ETIAS remains at €7.
It will be free for those under the age of 18 and over the age of 70.
Once the system is live, some travellers may also be exempt.
However, the system is not live yet and currently is not taking applications and people have been warned of fake websites attempting to catch out travellers.
Advertisement
ETIAS will apply to short stays, which refers to holidays or
business
trips that have a duration of up to 90 days in any 180 day period.
Although, if you are travelling on a visa, you will not need an ETIAS.
Irish passport holders are also exempt from ETIAS.
Advertisement
There have also been
Plus, these are
2
This is because the EU is looking to pay back it's debt following the pandemic
Credit: Alamy
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
an hour ago
- The Irish Sun
Fighter jets scrambled to Brit TUI flight to Lanzarote after terrifying bomb threat note is found in toilet
HOLIDAYMAKERS were left terrified after a bomb threat note was found on a Brit TUI flight from Cardiff to Lanzarote - forcing fighter jets to scramble. Cheryl Sainsbury, 43 and her pals, from Pontypridd, were all smiles en route to the 7 Two Portuguese fighter jets were scrambled after a bomb threat note was found on a TUI flight Credit: Amanda Davies/Media Wales 7 Cheryl Sainsbury, Leanne Thomas, Cherie Gurner and Tara Pumford were on the flight in question Credit: WalesOnline/Media Wales 7 Spain's Civil Guard activated the security protocol Credit: Amanda Davies/Media Wales While flying over Portugal on Thursday morning, Welsh pals Cheryl, Leanne Thomas, Cherie Gurner and Tara Pumford were stunned when the pilot announced the plane must land urgently due to Cheryl said: "We were sort of looking at each other thinking 'what's he on about'? "We were all scared but there was no sense of panic as such on board. Everybody seemed to come together and just looked out for each other. We all wanted to make sure everyone was ok." Everyone was told to remain in their seats. Read more world news The crew searched under the seats and in the overhead lockers to check that all the luggage was accounted for. Cheryl said: "I think they were looking for a black rucksack." Passengers reportedly tried to message loved ones to tell them what was happening as they anxiously waited for updates from the cabin crew. The group initially thought someone had phoned in a bomb threat - only later did they learn a handwritten note was found by a crew member in one of the aircraft's toilets. Most read in The Sun The pilot then announced a risk assessment had been done and the threat was deemed low, meaning the plane would no longer be landing earlier in Portugal . But for everyone's safety, two Portuguese fighter jets escorted the plane to its destination of Arrecife in Harrowing moment plane comes terrifyingly close to helicopter as it takes off at airport Cheryl said: "Once we landed on the ground, it was the biggest celebration and sense of relief. "We were taken to a remote part of the airport and there were police and fire engines surrounding the plane. We had to get off one-by-one." The group then had to wait for the emergency services on the ground to check through the luggage before they were allowed to leave. Cheryl explained: "We had to stand on the tarmac with all the luggage but we weren't allowed to touch of any of it. 7 The plane landed safely in Cesar Manrique airport in Lanzarote Credit: Alamy 7 Lanzarote is a popular holiday destination for Brits Credit: Getty "They brought sniffer dogs and the bomb squad so we just had to stand their and watch before they let us on the bus. "We got taken to some form of compound where there were no refreshments and just one toilet. "We just had to wait their until they had approval from the police to let us go to get back to the normal part of the airport where we could go through immigration and collect our cases." The friends are now unwinding in Lanzarote with a drink or two to help 'settle their nerves' after the ordeal. They are due to fly back home on Sunday - and are hoping that flight will be less eventful. Cheryl said: "It was such a weird experience especially as I'm a quite anxious flyer so I don't know how we did it. Even though we were all scared, we just stuck together and tried to keep it calm." She added that TUI cabin crew members remained calm and were "brilliant" with all the passengers. Spain's Civil Guard activated the security protocol after receiving a warning from the AENA control tower, as Specialists from the GEDEX (Explosives Deactivation Group), the Fiscal and Border Section, investigation units and citizen security patrols all intervened. The inspection found no explosive device on board. Flight BY6422 landed at Lanzarote airport at around 10.55am on Thursday. A spokesperson for Cardiff Airport said: 'We are aware of an incident involving flight TOM6422 from Cardiff to Lanzarote on 19/06/25. "The safety of our passengers is our number one priority. No concerns or suspicious activity were raised prior to departure.' Spain's Civil Guard has launched an investigation to determine who wrote the note. The force stressed that this type of act is a serious crime, as it causes alarm, compromises public safety and forces specialised resources to be used. TUI has been contacted for comment. 7 Cabin crew members were 'brilliant' with passengers, Cheryl said Credit: Alamy 7 Spanish police have launched an investigation Credit: Facebook/FL360aero
The Irish Sun
3 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Common beach activity at holiday hotspot could see tourists fined over £2,500 – or risk getting stopped at the airport
UK HOLIDAYMAKERS could face a hefty fine if they carry out this one common beach activity. Brits travelling to Sardinia, Italy this summer will be looking forward to the island's sprawling white 1 Collecting shells in Sardinia was made illegal in 2017 Credit: Getty But whilst the area is known for its While collecting shells might appear like a harmless Local law prohibits Studies suggest removing shells from a seashore could impact an area's ecosystem as many animals live inside the husks. Read more on Travel In 2017, Sardinia made it illegal to take sand from its beaches after thousands of tourists were caught trying to transport boxes of the stuff back home. Just a few years later customs police on the Collectively they attempted to swipe 220lb (100kg) of beach items in separate incidents. Most read in News Travel There is even a dedicated Facebook page - called "Sardinia robbed and plundered" - to highlight the problem, which has amassed 37,722 followers. Visitors have been caught at airport and harbour customs checks, while police and the military have also been monitoring websites for unlawful sales. Spanish Beaches Close Due to Dangerous Sea Creature Cops reported dozens of illicitly advertised beach items - some with "high prices". Islanders warned the issue is creating an environmental emergency. Pierluigi Cocco, an environmental scientist and resident of the Sardinian capital Cagliari, told the He said that although taking sand home served as a reminder of a "treasured memory", it could contribute to the reduction of beaches in the future. In 2019, a French couple were caught with 40kg of sand in the boot of their car. Police found the sand crammed into 14 plastic bottles taken from a beach in Chia, southern Sardinia. The couple claimed they wanted to take it home as a "souvenir" and did not know they had committed an offence.
The Irish Sun
4 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Brits to face even pricier new visas when travelling to Europe – despite not even launching yet
HOLIDAYS to Europe could get more expensive as the European Commission looks to ramp up fees for a new travel document that has not even been introduced yet. The EU is gearing up to introduce the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) scheme next year, following the introduction of the Advertisement 2 The EU is gearing up to introduce the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) scheme next year Credit: Alamy Essentially, ETIAS will be a requirement for any non-EU national from a visa-exempt countries which includes the UK, for short-term stays in the But the online fee to enter the ETIAS scheme could be more than initially planned. Current plans for travellers heading from outside the bloc include them paying €7 (£5.98) as part of an online application. However, now the European Union is looking to raise that price, despite the scheme not even having launched yet. Advertisement Read more on Europe The reason for this is because they want to use the fee to help with repayments on a €350billion (£299 billion) debt, which was used to fund the post-Covid recovery, reports Currently it is estimated that only €215million would enter the EU's budget from the ETIAS fee after operational fees are deducted. For Brits, this would be another blow as they already face longer queues since Brexit. The publication added how ETIAS is one of the more popular tax choices ahead of budget plans which are due to be discussed next month. Advertisement Most read in News Travel The documents revealed by Politico state: "Given that the EU fee for ETIAS is one of the lowest among comparable systems in the world, it seems there is a possibility of a gradual increase of the fee, strengthening the long-term revenue potential." The fee is currently lower than the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) which is required from non-Brits to enter the UK and costs £16. All Brits aged 18-70 will have to pay to visit Europe from next year – here is everything you need to know about ETIAS It is also less than the current Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Brits need to visit America which is $21 (£15.60). Sun Travel has contacted the European Commission for comment. Advertisement At the moment the price for ETIAS remains at €7. It will be free for those under the age of 18 and over the age of 70. Once the system is live, some travellers may also be exempt. However, the system is not live yet and currently is not taking applications and people have been warned of fake websites attempting to catch out travellers. Advertisement ETIAS will apply to short stays, which refers to holidays or business trips that have a duration of up to 90 days in any 180 day period. Although, if you are travelling on a visa, you will not need an ETIAS. Irish passport holders are also exempt from ETIAS. Advertisement There have also been Plus, these are 2 This is because the EU is looking to pay back it's debt following the pandemic Credit: Alamy
