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Summer holidays are properly back in 2022 for the first time in two years, but things are about to get more expensive for European travellers.
A change in the Schengen Area entry rules is set to require a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) visa from all non-EU tourists, as reported by Chronicle Live.
However, don't panic if you've already got your European holiday booked for this year, as the change isn't going to become a legal requirement until 2023.
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Thankfully, the new visa won't break the bank at €7 (£6), but in light of the ongoing cost of living crisis, this will be a very unwelcome change for most.
The visa isn't required for everyone either, and it is only needed if you are aged between 18 and 70.
The Mirror reports that hew new visa will require a passport or equivalent, and it should involve a simple enough process to obtain.
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However, obtaining the visa isn't something that holidaymakers can afford to leave until the last minute, because if they are classed as a potential risk by the system, it could take as long as 96 hours to get the ETIAS.
The visa is only required in the Schengen Area, which doesn't include every European country (the Republic of Ireland is an exception).
At the time of writing (June 2022), the area includes 26 countries, but this is expected to increase to include Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania, who are in the process of applying to join.
The existing 26 countries are: Austria; Belgium; the Czech Republic; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; the Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; and Switzerland.
The EU's ETIAS website states: "ETIAS will be a largely automated IT system created to identify security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks posed by visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen States, whilst at the same time facilitate crossing borders for the vast majority of travellers who do not pose such risks.
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"Non-EU nationals who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area will have to apply for a travel authorisation through the ETIAS system prior to their trip."
The change comes in the wake of Brexit, which put an end to the UK's involvement in the European Union's freedom of movement agreement.
What do you think of the new VISA requirement?
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