Introduction of €7 visa-waiver forms for travellers to EU delayed

theguardian.com:

The EU has delayed the introduction of a €7 visa-waiver form to enter its passport-free zone, meaning British travellers are unlikely to face the charge until 2024 at the earliest.

The European travel information and authorisation system (Etias), which applies to non-EU citizens from 60 countries that have visa-free travel with the EU, is now scheduled to start operating from November 2023. Travellers will then benefit from a six-month transition period while border authorities run information campaigns on the new requirements.

Etias, which is modelled on the US Esta scheme, means non-EU travellers will have to fill in a form and pay €7 (£5.91) before entering Europe’s passport-free zone. The €7 fee will apply to everyone aged between 18 and 70 and is valid for multiple visits over three years. In most cases approval is expected to be granted within minutes.

Etias had been scheduled to start operating at the end of 2022, then May 2023, but has been postponed by a further six months, a delay first reported by the website SchengenVisaInfo.com.

The European Commission published the new start date on its website, without providing a reason for the delay.

According to an EU source, the six-month transition period will be followed by a grace period of unknown length when travellers crossing the EU border for the first time under the requirements will be given some leeway.

Some British commentators have denounced Etias as a “Brexit punishment” despite the fact the plans predate the EU referendum and were supported by the British government on security grounds during the UK’s time as an member state.

It has been suggested the scheme could simplify life for British travellers. Many Britons going to the continent faced gridlock at the