Visa-free travel to Europe for U.S. citizens to end in 2024,requiring ETIAS form

summary:<p>1. it&#x27;s still &quot;visa-free&quot;, but increasingly countries are making that shit by requiring an &quot;electronic travel authority&quot; which is not technically a visa but is a bit of imaginary paper you get in exchange for money (e.g. Australia and the US)<p>2. the US already requires EU citizens to do this exact fucking thing to enter the US: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;esta.cbp.dhs.gov&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;esta.cbp.dhs.gov&#x2F;</a><p>3. the US refused to even grant visa free access at all to some EU citizens (those from Romania and Bulgaria): <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.schengenvisainfo.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;eu-visa-reciprocity-with-us-and-canada&#x2F;" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.schengenvisainfo.com&#x2F;news&#x2F;eu-visa-reciprocity-wi...</a><p>it is unfortunate that ~2003 may end up being a high point for ease of travel for citizens of rich countries

Calling it a Visa is hyperbole, even the linked article suggests it is more like a US style ESTA, which the US has forced on us since 2008 (which is only compatible with visa waiver programme).<p>The thing that makes me truly sad, as a UK citizen, I will also need this to travel to Europe since Brexit. It isn&#x27;t a US-centric requirement, which the headline suggests.

As an EU citizen I need to apply for an ESTA to travel into US. They get my fingerprints and a photograph besides a scan of my password when applying to said ESTA. Seems it&#x27;s only fair US citizens get the same treatment? Alas, I&#x27;d prefer a much easier entry system for both sides. Aren&#x27;t we all supposed to be friendly allies?

Reminds me of when I showed up at SFO for my 2nd business trip to Australia, about 90mins before the flight. I had been unable to check in online (united&#x27;s site gave me an unhelpful error) but I didn&#x27;t think too much of it.<p>The kiosk at the airport also balked.<p>When I went to talk to a human, he casually asked me if I had a visa&#x2F;ETA. This totally perplexed me as I didn&#x27;t remember having to do anything in the past. He told me I&#x27;d just need to fill out a web form and &quot;they usually approve it within an hour&quot;.<p>Minor panic while I tried to fill out a complicated web form on my iphone at the airport with shaking hands. Ultimately it was approved within about 20 minutes and I had no issues with my flight. Lesson learned! I guess on my previous trip I used my company&#x27;s travel portal and it must have done the ETA for me automagically, so I never had any awareness I needed such a thing.

The timing on this is suspect. With all the Airbnb travel and remote work dynamics, it seems like its an effort to clamp down on tax loopholes.<p>It&#x27;s splitting hairs not calling this a &#x27;visa&#x27;. If you have to pay a fee and fill out forms before arrival IT IS intended to regulate foreign entry, which is the definition of a visa, since you&#x27;re exchanging information with immigration authorities before they let you in.

The title is a lie and the content of the article is hyberbolic. When the new requirement comes in it&#x27;ll be the same as it is now for people who visit the US visa-free. The US has had this for years and Canada also has it for non-US citizens.

There will be fingerprint and face scans on arrival too.

Title should be updated to match the article.<p>A travel authorization is not a visa, visa free travel for US citizens will remain.

&gt; At the heart of ETIAS is an electronic database system to better track who&#x27;s coming and going.<p>Lots of people online annoyed at having to pay a fee (7 euro) to travel but this is what it&#x27;s actually about.<p>Curious to know if EU governments are limited in what they can currently do with passport entry&#x2F;exit data and if this expansion allows them to do more?

Anywho, for anyone with some EU ancestors, see if you’re eligible to apply for citizenship (or get it recognized if you technically already are one).<p>ETIAS announcements pushed me to start that process and now doing the waiting game.

“And the pandemic is another one of the many reasons this new requirement has been delayed by decades — there was no need for ETIAS when countries closed their borders to all travel amid fears of spreading COVID-19.”<p>Decades? The pandemic is only a few years old. I guess the writer had to shoehorn the pandemic into their piece somehow.

Misleading title, ETIAS is not a visa and it not directed at Americans as it applies to 60 countries including Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore, and South Korea.

If I’m living in the UK i guess I’m still required until I get my passport? That’s sad, ez travelling to Europe was a big draw for moving.

As long as it&#x27;s the same when US citizens go to Europe I&#x27;m cool with this. If not, they should make it so.

After being forced to submit face and fingerprints in Asia this summer, and no clue where the data went. I’m thinking my traveling days are over. A shame as travel has been beneficial.