UK citizens, who are not residents of an EU country, will soon be required to pay a fee to enter 26 countries.
Starting in 2022, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will manage security credentials and fees for travellers.
The brand new travel authorisation system requires travellers to complete a digital form, and they will be charged €7 (around £5.88) to gain access to the 26 countries that make up the Schengen Area.
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This area comprises European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders.
It includes common holiday destinations for UK travellers such as Italy, France, and Portugal.
However, the UK is not included - which means that travellers are subject to an immigration checkpoint and are required to show their passport.
UK citizens will be subject to the same rules as other non-EU residents.
Most EU countries are within the Schengen Area - which allows unrestricted movement - with exception to Ireland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Cyprus.
That means British travellers will not have to pay to enter Ireland.
The European Commission website says EITAS will be "operational by the end of 2022".
The website states: "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."
"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."
Full list of 26 countries in Schengen Area
- 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
- Switzerland
