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UK tourists will be charged to enter Spain, Greece, France and Portugal

UK tourists will be charged to enter Spain, Greece, France and Portugal

European countries such as Spain, Greece, France and Portugal will require a valid ETIAS upon arrival at their borders

UK tourists will soon be charged to enter Spain, Greece, France and Portugal, the European Commission have confirmed.

British holidaymakers were previously expected to be charged with a €7 (£6) travel fee next month, as part of the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

For those unaware, ETIAS will work as an IT system to pre-screen travellers before they board a plane, for those wanting to get into Schengen Area countries.

However, the launch of ETIAS has now been delayed until November 2023.

UK tourists will soon be charged to enter Spain, Greece, France and Portugal, the European Commission have confirmed.
Pexels

The following 26 Schengen states are Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

You'll basically need your passport and ETIAS approval to travel.

The fee works on a similar basis to the one Brits will soon have to pay to get authorisation to travel to the US, though the EU one will be cheaper than the American one which sets you back $21 (around £17).

Applying for an ETIAS security check will cost you €7 (£6), but once you've filled it in it's good for up to three years or until the associated passport expires.

The EU Commission said: "ETIAS is expected to be operational in November 2023.

"The ETIAS Regulation provides for transitional measures to ensure a smooth roll out of the system."

British holidaymakers were expected to be charged with a €7 (£6) travel fee next month, as part of  the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
Pexels

They added: "ETIAS will be a largely automated IT system created to identify security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks posed by visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen States, whilst at the same time facilitate crossing borders for the vast majority of travellers who do not pose such risks.

"Non-EU nationals who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area will have to apply for a travel authorisation through the ETIAS system prior to their trip.

"The information gathered via ETIAS will allow, in full respect of fundamental rights and data protection principles, for advance verification of potential security, irregular migration of high epidemic risks.

"After filling in an online application form, the system will conduct checks against EU information systems for borders and security and, in the vast majority of cases, issue a travel authorisation within minutes.

ETIAS will work as an IT system to pre-screen travellers before they board a plane, for those wanting to get into Schengen Area countries.
Pexels

"In limited cases, where further checks on the traveller are needed, the issuing of the travel authorisation could take up to 30 days.

"The ETIAS travel authorisation will be a mandatory pre-condition for entry to the Schengen States.

"It will be checked together with the travel documents by the border guards when crossing the EU border."

Featured Image Credit: Michelle Raboni/Pixabay Travel/Alamy Stock Photo

Topics: Travel, UK News