The European Union announced the launch of the "Etias" program, starting next year, which will impose new restrictions on the entry of citizens of Britain, the United States and other countries whose citizens do not need a visa to enter the countries of the Union. Know the details.
The European Union has introduced new entry restrictions for citizens of the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries whose citizens do not need a visa to enter the bloc.
The Federation announced the start of the “Etias” program, next year, which obliges Britons, Americans, Australians and everyone who does not need an entry visa to pay a fee of 7 euros, and to fill out an entry form that includes all personal data and visit details, according to the program’s official website.
Talks about the new program began at the end of 2021.
The "Etias" program stressed that these new procedures and rules "do not mean imposing an entry visa" on these citizens, pointing out that its goal is "to protect and strengthen the borders of the countries of the Union."
In the context, the program also confirmed that the expenses are not a result of the process of Britain's exit from the European Union "Brexit" or the Corona pandemic, nor are they taxes on arrivals to the countries of the Union.
"It is a procedure to identify potential threats or risks associated with visitors traveling to any of the Schengen area countries," he added.
The new system for non-residents of the countries of the Union will allow visitors to those countries to stay in the European Union for a period of 90 days every six months, provided that those forms are filled out and fees paid, according to the same source.
Filling out the forms requires providing information on the visitor's passport and visit details, as well as some basic security questions. These forms will be valid for three years for each traveler, as described by the European Commission.
It is noteworthy that the rules for those who need a visa in order to enter the European Union "Schengen" countries are unchanged.