Heading to Italy or France? Get ready to pay a new $35 fee
Australians will need to pay €20 ($35.44) per application to visit the bloc of 30 EU states in the Schengen visa-free travel zone, once the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (or ETIAS) becomes operational for visitors next year.
The travel authorisation fee was originally slated to cost €7 ($12.40), but the EU settled on a higher cost.
The ETIAS fee will capture most Australian visitors to Europe - and will function a bit like the US ESTA visa waiver, or the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation.
'Travellers will need to fill out an online application before their trip, providing personal information,' the EU said.
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'The application will be processed automatically, and the traveller will receive a decision within minutes.'
Establishing the fee higher than originally planned for Europe-bound travel will be unwelcome news for Australia's intrepid international travellers.
The EU announcement comes days after the US government unveiled a new $US250 ($383) fee on applications for visits to the US by Australians ineligible for the ESTA visa waiver program. The change was contained in US President Donald Trump's 'big beautiful bill'.
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