Visa Waiver Cost Will Nearly Triple Before it Even Starts

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Depending on the country, the place you’re visiting may want to have an idea of who you are, and what you’ve been up to (mainly in terms of being a lawful citizen vs….not).  Therefore, over the years, a variety of countries have introduced visas or visa waivers that are required for foreign nationals to visit. Here’s the difference between a visa and a visa waiver.

What Is ETIAS and When Does It Start?

The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) (a visa waiver) hasn’t even started yet – it’s only been delayed for what feels like 1,000 times – but officials have already announced a price hike for it.

ETIAS is (well, will be) the future travel authorization requirement for citizens of 59 visa-exempt countries and territories around the world, including the United States.

Once started – currently in the last quarter of 2026 (but there’s still time for them to kick that can down the road again) – it will be mandatory to be able to enter these 30 European countries for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period:

Select Gulf countries are also planning their own form of “pay one price” travel authorization.

ETIAS Price Hike Announced

At 7 euros (about US$8.25), the initial fee to get the ETIAS was pretty reasonable. However, late last week, the European Commission proposed to raise the fee to 20 euros (roughly US$23.50). The Commission said that inflation and increased costs caused by repeated delays to the program’s rollout were the reason to nearly triple the price.

re: inflation. ETIAS was originally supposed to begin in 2021. The value of its original price of 7 euros in 2021 is now worth 8.4 euros.

Following a Trend?

I’m not sure how “increased costs caused by repeated delays to the program’s rollout” would cause the price to nearly triple, but there you go. I’m sure that the UK recently increasing the price of their Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) from £10 to £16 and the US considering increasing the cost of their Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) from $21 to $40 next year, have nothing to do with it.

Feature image: Philip Brewer / flickr / CC BY 2.0

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