Brits who are hoping to jet off to European Union countries will soon be faced with additional charges this year.

This means holidaymakers will see increased costs, paperwork and preparation before any trip.

The news comes as the freedom of movement rules change since Britain left the EU following Brexit, the Express reports.

Travellers leaving Britain to any EU state within the Schengen Agreement will now be treated as any other non-EU nation, and hence the extra charge.

The European Commission has confirmed travellers from the UK will be charged a £5.88 (€7) visa fee from 2022 and forced to pre-register their details before being allowed to enter Schengen EU nations.

The European Travel and Information and Authorisation Scheme (ETIAS) currently allows residents of 61 non-EU countries to enter the Schengen zone with pre-authorization.

Rather than needing a visa, the scheme charges a levy, which permits holders to stay in and travel around Schengen-signatory EU states for up to 90 days.

From late 2022, as part of post-Brexit arrangements, the UK will be added to ETIAS, covering all Schengen area nations as well as a number of non-Schengen ‘micro-states’ such as the Vatican City.

The ETIAS scheme was first unveiled by the EU in 2016, as part of an effort to bolster security by allowing immigration officials to track visitors through the bloc, while not needing to impose a laborious visa scheme when travelling between member states.

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When it was introduced, then-President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker praised the scheme as improving the management of EU borders, helping to decrease crime and terrorism, and reinforcing the bloc’s visa liberalisation policy.

… and it continues, about EU visitors to the UK.

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/gatwick-heathrow-airport-eu-entry-23020077

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Travel to Europe from the UK in 2022: what’s changed?

07/01/2022  – European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

Recent press coverage of ETIAS, due to be launched in 2022, has caused some confusion amongst British travellers.

Some articles have misleadingly suggested that ETIAS is a result of Brexit, or even a ‘revenge tax’ for Brexiteers who campaigned for the United Kingdom to leave the EU.

This article explains why these claims about ETIAS are not true and how British citizens will benefit from the new European travel authorisation.

WHY WILL UK CITIZENS NEED TO PAY A FEE TO ENTER EUROPE?

From 2022, all non-EU citizens will have to pay a fee to travel to the EU. Some visitors will need to pay for a Schengen visa, others to register with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

Currently, passport holders from visa-exempt countries can enter Europe and travel around the Schengen Area for free. Visitors do not need to apply for any authorisation.

From 2022, however, the European Union will launch ETIAS for visa-free visitors. ETIAS will come with a small processing fee that all visa-exempt non-EU nationals will have to pay.

As the UK is no longer in the EU, British citizens will soon need to pay to enter Europe.

BRITISH CITIZENS WILL NOT PAY A FEE EACH TIME THEY VISIT

ETIAS is valid for multiple trips for up to 3 years. British citizens do not need to reapply for the travel authorisation and pay the associated ETIAS fee each time they travel to Europe from the UK.

As long as the passport and ETIAS remain valid, UK citizens can stay in Europe for up to 90 days per 180-day period.

In addition, the fee that UK citizens will pay covers all 26 countries in the Schengen Area. The same ETIAS travel authorisation is valid across Europe.

ETIAS IS NOT A TAX ON BRITISH TRAVELLERS

Some media reports have suggested that ETIAS is a tax on British travellers and a direct result of Brexit. This is not accurate.

Planning for ETIAS began at the start of 2016 when the United Kingdom was still a member of the European Union. The UK supported the proposal to increase border security with a new travel authorisation system.

ETIAS is for all visa-exempt visitors, not just UK citizens. While it is true that British citizens would not have needed ETIAS if the UK had not left the EU, ETIAS is not a direct result of Brexit.

ETIAS APPLIES TO MORE THAN 60 COUNTRIES, NOT JUST THE UK

ETIAS is not only for British tourists in Europe, it applies to more than 60 countries including Australia, Japan, and the United States.

Tourists and business travellers who do not need a Schengen visa from the UK, or any other country, must apply.

UK CITIZENS ALREADY PAY A FEE TO ENTER OTHER COUNTRIES

UK passport holders already pay a fee to travel to several countries without a visa. ESTA became mandatory to go to the United States with a British passport in 2009. Australia and Canada also have ETA systems. British citizens must pay a fee in each case.

The UK government has announced it will launch its own Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for visa-exempt visitors, including Europeans. The UK ETA should be available in 2025.

CAN UK CITIZENS TRAVEL TO THE SCHENGEN AREA IN 2022?

Yes, UK citizens can continue to travel to the Schengen Area once ETIAS is launched at the end of 2022.

Travellers will have to take one additional step when preparing for their trip — applying for ETIAS online.

It will take just a few minutes to complete the electronic form. In most cases, the travel authorisation will be approved almost immediately.

With ETIAS, British citizens can continue to visit Europe without a visa for up to 90 days for tourism and business. ETIAS will also be required to transit through an EU country.

BRITISH TOURISTS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE ADDED SECURITY OF ETIAS
The fee UK citizens pay for ETIAS will help make European countries even safer for tourists.

By pre-screening all non-EU citizens, potentially dangerous individuals can be prevented from crossing the border into Europe legally.

Travellers’ data will be automatically cross-checked across several international security databases such as the Schengen Information System (SIS), Interpol and Europol.

There will also be an ETIAS watchlist containing the names of individuals considered likely to commit a serious crime.

And it continues …. https://www.etiasvisa.com/etias-news/british-tourists-visiting-europe

https://www.etiasvisa.com/etias-news/british-tourists-visiting-europe