This development comes in the wake of the European Union introducing “a new visa-waiver form for non-EU countries, meaning visitors will need to pay an extra €7 (£5.92) for a visa-waiver form ahead of entry to member countries. The European travel information and authorisation system ( ETIAS ) will apply to non-EU citizens from around 60 countries that have visa-free travel within the EU, including the UK. There is a silver lining for Brits though, as just this month it's been announced that the new charge will be delayed until late 2023," as per the Daily Mirror report. Notably, India will not be affected by this move as it is not one of the countries eligible to apply for ETIAS and visit Europe without a visa.
It is important to note that the system is scheduled to open in November 2023, “meaning that most UK holidaymakers are unlikely to face the charge until 2024. The new charge will apply to anyone aged from 18 to 70. Each application will last for three years, and it's believed that the approval process should take just a few minutes in the majority of cases," the report said.
Interestingly, this is not the only post-Brexit change that UK holidaymakers should be aware of, as in recent months, travelers have been caught off guard due to a change to passport rules, the report said. Additionally, as per the new changes, the traveler passport's validity isn't just about the expiry date, as the document will also need to have been issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country, even if it's well in date when you travel, the Daily Mirror report noted.
Meanwhile, in most cases, the documents must be valid for three months after the holiday is over, and “entry requirements can differ depending on your destination so always check the latest Foreign Office travel advice before booking or going on a trip abroad," the report said.
(With inputs from Daily Mirror)
