For Australians traveling to the European Union, a substantial shift is forthcoming.
The end of freedom of flight to the European Union has now arrived.
The long-awaited ETIAS, the EU’s programme for granting visitors visas without a passport, will begin in May 2023.
ETIAS isn’t just about a visa because it can be obtained faster, quickly, electronically, and without providing biometric data, but it still involves a process and costs money, much as the ESTA system used by the United States.
Earlier, the launch of ETIAS, also known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, was anticipated for mid 2022.
Travelers from the EU are exempted from restrictions and are allowed to move around the bloc, which enables them to stay as long as they choose in a variety of nations. Also excluded will be EU citizens.
However, the ETIAS will be required for everyone else approaching the bloc from a nation that did not formerly require a visa.
Around 60 nations are impacted by the change, including Australia, the US, and the UK, which lost its freedom of movement following Brexit. For people who formerly required a visa to enter, nothing has changed.
According to a recent EU letter, the application procedure will be carried out via a “mainly automated IT system,” with approval being given “within minutes” for approximately 95% of candidates.
The utmost amount of time for approval could, in “extremely unusual instances,” reach one month. Any applicant who has their application rejected has the option to appeal.
The three-year ETIAS authorization is good for an unrestricted number of entries. Holders, nevertheless, are subject to immigration and overstay laws.
Presently, third-party citizens are only permitted to stay in the bloc for a total of 90 days out of every 180 days.
The price is €7 ($A11) for people between the ages of 18 and 70. It’s unclear at this time if others will pay a lower charge or be eligible for a free application.
There is no word yet on when applications will open.
