Travelling to Europe is about to get costlier, as the EU has decided to significantly hike the fee for its digital travel authorisation scheme — the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). The revised fee will apply to travellers visiting Europe. As per the latest update, the cost will rise to €20, nearly triple the originally proposed €7. Scroll on to know more.
EU Set To Raise Fee For Travel Permit
According to The Economic Times, the EU has made an adjustment to the yet-to-be implemented European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) scheme for visa-exempt nationals. The commission has decided to triple the digital travel permit for foreigners to enter the European Union. As per a new update on Friday, the fee has been increased to €20 (₹2,004).
Reports suggest that, with this revision, the EU seeks to boost its financial resources and raise more funds for fields like defence and agriculture. The change also underscores inflation and additional operational costs. Adopted in 2018, the ETIAS regulation originally envisaged a fee of €7 (₹701). In comparison, the UK’s equivalent—known as the ETA—costs £16 (₹1,848), while the US charges $21 (₹1,809) for its ESTA permit.
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How Will It Impact Travel?
ETIAS will apply to non-EU travellers from visa-free countries visiting the EU for short stays. That includes countries like Canada, the United States and Britain. It allows travellers to visit any of the 27 member states of the EU, except Ireland, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. While the increased travel permit fee might not impact everyone, it is still a significant change.
The three-year travel permit is beneficial for frequent travellers and will be obtainable online. People aged under 18 or over 70 years will be exempt from the travel permit fee by the EU. Authorities have two months to review the new €20 travel permit fee. It will come into effect as soon as ETIAS becomes operational, which is expected for the last quarter of 2026.
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