New 20 euro fee for Brits to enter Spain, France and Greece in major travel(Image: Alexander Spatari via Getty Images)UK and other non-EU travellers will soon be obliged to pay for entry into 30 European countries under a new travel scheme. As a result of Brexit, UK passport holders will need to register with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to gain access to certain European nations.
The ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals visiting a select group of 30 European countries, including popular holiday destinations including Spain, France, Italy and Greece. With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, travellers can enter these European countries as frequently as desired for short-term stays, typically up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Initially, an ETIAS was said to cost 7 euros per person, but now EU chiefs have stated the travel permit will cost almost triple that, at 20 euros per eligible traveller. Travellers aged under 18 or over 70 are exempt, so for a family of four travelling with two children, the cost would be 40 euros.
The scheme has been delayed several times, and earlier this year the EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs estimated that the ETIAS will be introduced in the final quarter of 2026. There will then be a grace period, so applying for an ETIAS will not become mandatory until 2027.
The ETIAS is stored electronically against the passport and will be necessary for travel to the following countries:, reports the Liverpool Echo.
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland will all require the new travel authorisation. Cyprus will also necessitate this once it becomes part of the Schengen zone.
The majority of applications should be processed “almost immediately”; however, errors in your ETIAS submission could lead to a refusal. Possible grounds for an ETIAS application being turned down include having an invalid passport, being deemed a “risk”, a Schengen Information System (SIS) alert against you, submitting an incomplete form, or not showing up for a mandatory interview.
Should your ETIAS request be denied, there is the option to appeal the decision.
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