UK and US citizens travelling to Europe will need a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) visa waiver.
An ETIAS is the new travel permit for Europe that will come into effect by the end of 2022.
ETIAS visa waivers are not a visa, but an electronic travel permit that has been introduced to enhance the security and enforce the borders of the Schengen zone.
It allows holidaymakers to stay in a country within the zone for up to 90 days without a visa.
By the end of 2022, all Americans and Brits travelling to a European country in the Schengen Zone will be in need of an ETIAS.
The Schengen Area is composed of 22 European Union countries like France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, and Spain, as well as 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.
How it works
Anyone looking to travel to the EU, for business or pleasure, will need to register their details and pay a small fee before travelling.
Once registered, the system will make an automated assessment of the application and authorisation should be granted automatically.
The visa fee costs up to 7 euro and will be applicable to all travellers aged between 18 and 70.
However, according to the European Commission, it could take up to 30 days for travel authorisation to be given in exceptional cases where additional security checks are needed.
