U.S. citizens who for years have enjoyed visa-free travel to Europe are in for a rude awakening in 2024 when the European Union rolls out new entry rules that will require Americans to obtain a travel authorization document in order to be allowed into most European countries.
Starting next year, American citizens will have to get an entry permit—similar to a visa—through the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS, before being permitted to enter 30 countries in Europe.
The nations that are covered by the rule (pdf) include all 27 European Union member states as well as non-members Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.
“With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays—normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period,” European Union authorities said in a statement.
The rule change impacts some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries, including Australia, Canada, and the United States.
The new travel permit is similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) that travelers from many countries—including ones in Europe—are required to obtain to enter the United States.
The reason for the new permit is to bolster border security.
“ETIAS will further strengthen Europe’s internal security by carrying pre-travel screening of visa-free travellers to determine whether they pose a security, illegal immigration, or public health risk,” Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, notes on its website.
News of the new requirement was met with mixed reactions on social media, including a critical reception from former President Donald Trump, who vowed not to allow it to happen if elected president in 2024.
“Think of this. We give them everything, including military protection and trade, and now we have to pay them to go there,” Mr. Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
“NO RESPECT FOR THE UNITED STATES. I WILL, AS PRESIDENT, NOT ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. IT WILL END VERY QUICKLY!!!” the former president wrote in all caps.
