Starting 2021 Visa Required for Europe

[sunshinedaydreams]

Better get European travel in now before you have to pay for a visa!  link

It sounds like there will be some sort of approval process, so I'm guessing you won't be able to purchase on entry either.  Wonder what fees and turnaround times will be.

Thoughts?  Will this change how you plan future trips to Europe?

[pumpkin]

This just sounds like a pain!
That's my initial reaction. Ugh!

[dutchgirl678]

That sounds like a pain. I am glad I have dual citizenship . My parents have had to apply for a visa to visit the US for several years now. It is a hassle but I do believe it is free.

[goldengirlz]

Well, when we make it harder for people to come here, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that other countries don’t exactly feel the warm and fuzzies toward us. As the article points out, the US implemented ESTA about a decade ago — and now we’ve started charging for it! Why wouldn’t European countries want an extra 14 euros per head (assuming it’s similar to the US)?

Anyway, it won’t affect my travel plans. It’s annoying but it is what it is.

[rupertpenny]

This won’t change my plans either, and it only seems fair since we have ESTA. I’ve traveled to other countries that require visas before and it isn’t usually a big deal. They only time it has been a deciding factor was when we decided not to go to China with our daughter for a long weekend because her visa was like 3x the price of the flight (H and I both already had visas).

I also have a European (EEA, not EU) passport so this may not affect me personally. The rest of my family will still need to do it though.

[dragon's breath]

Sucks, but glad to see it is valid for three years, since my future plans are "check for cheap flights when I have two weeks off to see if I can take a last-minute vacation". I get that two week stretch at least five times a year, so I really want to be able to go when a great flight deal hits.

[mrsukyankee]

Yeah, we've been paying for an ESTA to visit the US for years. It does last for a few years, but we have to renew it regularly and pay for it.

[mcsangel2]

Will this apply to the UK as well? Isn't clear to me as all the reporting I see is referring to the EU, which the UK is in the process of trying to leave.

[mcsangel2]

Mar 9, 2019 10:57:19 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Will this apply to the UK as well? Isn't clear to me as all the reporting I see is referring to the EU, which the UK is in the process of trying to leave.

Found the answer to my question, it doesn't apply to the UK.

[just]

Mar 9, 2019 10:58:26 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Mar 9, 2019 10:57:19 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Will this apply to the UK as well? Isn't clear to me as all the reporting I see is referring to the EU, which the UK is in the process of trying to leave.

Found the answer to my question, it doesn't apply to the UK.

The U.K. has enough other things to be working on, but I’d be surprised if something similar doesn’t end up in their long term plans

[frlcb]

This doesn't bother me at all. The US requires it for visitors from Europe, so of course we should have to do the same. It lasts 3 years (I think) and isn't expensive. This just isn't a big deal to me.

[Nonny]

I saw that and I think it's an added annoyance and hassle, but it won't change any of our plans.  I assume the process will be just as easy and streamlined as when I applied for my visa to Australia - go online, fill out form, pay about $20, and then immediately get an email saying my visa was approved.  

The extra fee will suck, but given that the US has been requiring paid visas from some EU member countries I saw the writing on the wall for this.

[frlcb]

Mar 9, 2019 20:52:51 GMT -5 Nonny said:

I saw that and I think it's an added annoyance and hassle, but it won't change any of our plans.  I assume the process will be just as easy and streamlined as when I applied for my visa to Australia - go online, fill out form, pay about $20, and then immediately get an email saying my visa was approved.  

The extra fee will suck, but given that the US has been requiring paid visas from some EU member countries I saw the writing on the wall for this.

It's about $8 (7 euros) and lasts 3 years

[fernweh]

It’s an extra step but it won’t change my plans. Plus it’s goid for 3 years so not a big deal. The main thing for me will be remembering to apply ahead of time.

[mrsukyankee]

Also - it's not a visa just like the ESTA is not a visa for us. It's basically just a database entry with your information, so it'll be easier than a visa.