Foreigners will pay seven euros each to enter the territory of European Union countries
According to RFI, the new administrative procedure called ETIAS is part of measures designed to ensure the security of the EU's borders. Modeled after the American ESTA, it will help identify undesirable persons before they cross the border of the Schengen area.
ETIAS applies to nationals from 60 countries, including the USA, Brazil, Albania, the UAE, and others.
Before traveling, residents of these countries wishing to visit the EU will have to submit a request. The obtained authorization will be valid for three years. The procedure, which will cost them seven euros, will be free for minors and persons over 70 years old.
The personal data of candidates for visiting the EU will be checked against the databases of Schengen, Europol, and other European sources.
“Persons posing a migration risk or threatening the security of the EU will be identified before they enter European territory,” said European Commissioner for Migration Dimitris Avramopoulos. Border guards will still be able to make decisions on admission directly at the border, regardless of the presence of an ETIAS authorization.
Registration in ETIAS is not a visa, the European Commission notes. Citizens of visa-free countries will continue to be able to travel without permits in their passport and will only be required to obtain travel authorization before crossing the border of a Schengen area country. This will help identify persons who may pose a security risk or have a high probability of violating stay rules.
As one EU official noted, electronic authorization “is in principle the little brother of the visa.” For example, many residents of Balkan countries travel to the EU without visas and lengthy paperwork. With ETIAS registration, a kind of “visa light” is introduced, which will help combat violations of stay rules in the EU, particularly exceeding the three-month limit.