UK tourists have been warned they need to act as early as 30 days before jetting off to Spain, Greece, and other EU countries as part of a strict new entry rule.
Holidaymakers and other travellers will soon have to obtain a new document to enter all EU nations. The new travel permit will come at a fee, and has been introduced to enhance the security and enforce the borders of the Schengen zone following Brexit.
The ETIAS scheme will come into effect in 2024 and will mean people from dozens of nations around the world, including the UK, will need to comply with the scheme when entering the EU. ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System and is an electronic permit linked to your passport.
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People could fall foul of the security regulations if asked to provide additional information or documentation or attend an interview with national authorities, Birmingham Live reports. While an ETIAS is usually approved in minutes, officials have said there will be cases when it takes far longer.
In fact it could take a further 30 days to obtain the permit and, for this reason, people from the UK are advised not to book flights, accommodation, or package holidays until they have approval to travel.
Officials say an ETIAS will cost seven euros (around £6) per person and people will be asked to pay 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."
EU guidance adds: "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 which 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 (for example humanitarian grounds)."
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