New EU travel rules for tourists: What changes in 2025?

The new rules require travellers to complete an online application, provide personal details, answer security questions and pay a €7 fee.

Transcript

00:00Post-Brexit travel is about to change. From 2025, British travellers will need an ETIAS

00:06visa waiver to visit Europe, costing €7 and requiring an online application and extra

00:13cheques.

00:14As a mother with two small children, travelling is always a bit of a pain at the best of times

00:19and it's disappointing to have another additional hurdle.

00:23Flora and Alexander are on a staycation at home in Britain. They're frustrated but not

00:29surprised by the new arrangement.

00:31I was a staunch Remainer, so I guess it's just another slightly disappointing hurdle

00:38that we're all having to face in our ability just to feel like we can be freely part of

00:44Europe. But it's a reality of what happened with the vote back in 2016, I suppose.

00:52As the dust continues to settle, many who were against Brexit are seeing the changes

00:57they anticipated. From 2025, British travellers will need a visa, known as an ETIAS, to visit

01:02most countries in the EU Schengen area. The new system requires an online application,

01:08a fee and biometric cheques at borders. So will this complicate travel and could it impact

01:15tourism in Europe?

01:16As Brits, we have an absolute love affair with our European neighbouring countries.

01:21Rob Staines, an independent travel expert, predicts the €7 fee is unlikely to put off

01:26British tourists.

01:27Unfortunately, this is a reality of post-Brexit travel and we are asked to be deemed a third

01:35country when we left the European Union. And this is extra red tape and extra layers of

01:40complexity when it comes to travel. But I think if we look in the grand scheme of things,

01:45I think it's completely acceptable and understandable that the EU wants to strengthen their borders

01:50and unfortunately that comes at a cost.

01:52Initially, there will be a grace period of at least six months, during which the ETIAS

01:56requirement won't be enforced strictly. This allows travellers time to adjust to the new

02:02rules. Luke Hanrahan, Euronews, London.