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Brits travelling to or through the EU: your trips are soon going to get just that little bit more expensive. From the November 2023, anyone travelling on a British passport between the ages of 18 and 70 will have to pay €7 (£6, $7.50) to enter or transit through any EU country.
The added faff and cost is a consequence of the UK’s exit from the European Union, which means that British citizens will no longer enjoy freedom of movement throughout the bloc. Bloody Brexit, eh?
A new visa system for visiting EU countries called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is set to come into force in November 2023. When it’s launched, Brits will need an official ETIAS visa waiver in order to keep visiting European countries. It will be required for trips of up to 90 days (if you want to stay longer, you’ll need another visa entirely) for both tourists and business travellers, and will need to be obtained at least 96 hours before departure.
And while this might all sound quite complicated (and spenny), it isn’t as bad as it sounds. The fee doesn’t have to be paid every time you enter an EU country. The waiver lasts for three years, so you only have to get a new one either once it runs out or if you get a new passport.
Plus, the ETIAS visa waiver system isn’t just for UK citizens. It also applies to passport-holders of plenty of other countries around the world, from the USA and Canada to Brazil, Japan and Australia. You can see a full list of ETIAS countries here.
The ETIAS system was initially supposed to come into effect in May 2023, but it’s now been pushed back six months to November. In other words, Brits don’t have to worry about any of this stuff until after next year’s summer holidays.
For the time being, there is currently no fee for Brits visiting the EU – so make the most of it while you can!
Did you see that you can travel all over this European country for just €9 this summer?
Plus: pay £3 extra and Eurostar will plant a new tree when you book.