The European Commission has confirmed that while UK travellers will not need a visa to enter the EU. They will, however, have to pay to enter the EU.
In a tweet sent on December 14, Natasha Bertaud (tweet to: Natasha Bertaud ) @EU_Commission coordinating spokesperson for activities of @JunckerEU, the president of the EU, she confirmed that British citizens will have to buy a three-year visa for seven euros.
Natasha Bertaud tweet
Yes #ETIAS will apply to the #UK as 3rd country post-Brexit - 7 euros for a 3 year pre-travel authorisation. Simple form, like #ESTA to the US, but way cheaper. #Brexit #EUCO
Natasha Bertaud (@NatashaBertaud) December 13, 2018
The new ETIAS form is Europe's version of the United States' ESTA,
It means that UK citizens will not need a visa when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
If there is no deal on Brexit this will apply as of 30 March 2019.
If a deal is reached, however, it will apply as of the end of the transition period.
A statement issued in mid-November when the proposal was first put forward adds that this arrangement will only apply if EU citizens are offered the same deal.
“This proposal is entirely conditional upon the UK also granting reciprocal and non-discriminatory visa-free travel for all EU Member States, in line with the principle of visa reciprocity,” the statement reads.
“The UK government has declared its intention not to require a visa from citizens of the EU27 Member States for shorts stays for the purposes of tourism and business. EU rules on non-EU nationals travelling to the EU, such as those on border control, would of course apply to UK citizens once they are no longer EU citizens.”
While most people will find out if their application has been successful immediately, some applications can be denied or take up to four weeks to process.
The proposal still has to go to the EU Parliament and European Council before it can come into force.
All of this depends on the EU and UK reaching a deal. If the UK exits without an agreement to mitigate ensuing disruptions, Britons could require visas to travel to the EU in the future, Bertaud added.
