British Travellers Given 30-day Heads-up for Travelling in Europe

Britsh travellers have been given 30 days’ warning to prepare for travelling within Europe after Spain, Greece and other European countries have introduced a strict new entry rule.

According to the new law which will be coming into effect, travellers could be asked to provide additional information, and documents or even attend an interview with the European countries’ national authorities. Though the new European Union travel permits are usually approved quickly, officials say, there are exceptions when applicants may be asked to provide additional evidence.

For some people, it will take an additional 30 days to obtain a permit. For this reason, British travellers are being warned against booking hotels, flights or package deals before obtaining their travel approval. 

The ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) scheme which is set to come into effect in 2024, provides an electronic permit linked to your passport. People from several countries across the world will have to comply with the scheme while travelling in Europe when it comes into effect.

The EU warned: “We strongly advise you to obtain the ETIAS travel authorisation before you buy your tickets and book your hotels. Most applications will be processed within minutes and at the latest within 96 hours. However, some applicants may be asked to provide additional information or documentation or to participate in an interview with national authorities, which may take up to an additional 30 days.”

Officials informed that an ETIAS will cost seven euros or about six pounds per person which will have to be paid by credit or debit card at the time of application. You can use a passport when applying for it as long as it is “valid for more than three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the European countries requiring ETIAS and should not be older than 10 years.”

The EU further added: “You can apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation yourself by filling in and submitting an application, or you can authorise somebody else to do this for you, e.g. a friend, a family member or a commercial intermediary such as a travel agency. You will need to have a valid travel document and pay a EUR 7 application fee.”

“We advise you not to travel with a document that will expire soon. While it is possible to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation using a travel document that is valid for less than three months from the date you submit the application, you should be aware that you will be refused entry at the border, unless you have very good reasons to be accepted.”

The ETIAS scheme will come into effect in the middle of 2024. However, the exact date will be announced by the EU at the end of 2023, reports Birmingham Live.

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