PLAN YOUR EUROPEAN VACATION NOW BEFORE
BREXIT and ETIAS 2021
BREXIT/ETIAS COUNTOWN – Now is the time to Plan & Travel to Europe
Many countries in the Caribbean, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East and even the United Kingdom (not part of Schengen zone), do not need a Schengen Visa to travel to the European zone. We currently enjoy the privilege of visiting these countries visa-free. Soon, this will change after BREXIT, whether there is a Deal or No Deal BREXIT. What approaches very quickly is BREXIT and ETIAS 2021, continue reading and I will explain.
What is BREXIT?
How did BREXIT Emerge?
The United Kingdom joined the European Union on January 01, 1973. On June 26, 2016, the United Kingdom filed a case to withdraw from the EU via a public vote (aka a referendum) to leave the European Union. The vote was in the majority, whereby 52% of the vote was in favor of leaving. The matter should have been concluded since March 29, 2019, two years after Theresa May, the former British Prime Minister, started the process to leave, however, the process has been previously delayed twice, due to a no-deal Brexit.
What is No-Deal BREXIT?
BENN ACT – What is it?
The deadline for BREXIT, deal or no deal, soon approaches on October 31, 2019. Mr. Boris Johnson – Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, is supposed to ask the EU for a further possible delay/extension of BREXIT by October 19, 2019, if a Brexit deal is not finalized. If this is granted by the EU, then it will push back the date, 3 months later, from October 31, 2019 (avoiding a no-deal Brexit) to January 31, 2020. This request is now called the BENN ACT.
Have you Been to Europe yet??
If you have been postponing a trip to one of the many beautiful cites in Europe (see my destination page for tips, ideas and reviews) now is the time to visit before BREXIT comes into place. Europe has many countries that offer something special and different, each with its uniqueness, like the Aurora/Northern lights in Iceland or the iconic Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. It’s still on many people’s bucket-list to visit at least one of the European countries. The EU has 28 European countries. All with their charm and beauty.
European Union (EU) Countries (28)
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
The four (4) bolded European Union countries are not part of the Schengen zone.
ETIAS Electronic Authorisation/Visa Required from 2021
Previous to the European visa-free entitlement I now enjoy, I always dreamt of visiting Europe, but found the hassle of applying for a visa (Schengen visa is not an E-visa so it is not accessible online, only the visa form), the cost attached and visiting the embassy seemed time-consuming and annoying and so I opted to travel to visa-free countries instead. However, as soon as the visa-free entry was a reality, I visited Europe and fell in love with its many beautiful countries and exotic cities.
I am here to advise you to make your first visit (if you haven’t been) to Europe or visit the country you have bucket-listed and have been postponing. You have from now until the end of 2020, (1 year and 2 months), this time will go by very quickly then, it’s back to applying for a Schengen Visa or the new ETIAS authorization/visa. Now is the time to start planning your next getaway, when it’s cheaper and hassle-free.
Below is the list of countries eligible to apply for the ETIAS Visa/Authorization in 2021. However if your country is not listed, then more than likely you will need to apply for a Schengen visa.
ETIAS Eligible Countries
- Albania
- Andorra
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kirbati
- Macao
- Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
ETIAS - What is it?
ETIAS means European Travel Information and Authorization System. It is a visa waiver for countries currently allowed visa-free access to the EU/Schengen zone (meaning they don’t need a visa to travel to these countries). In June 2017, the European Council proposed the setting up of the ETIAS to prevent further terrorist attacks and immigration flaws in the EU. On May 25, 2018, the agreement was confirmed and the establishment of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
After BREXIT, such countries will need to have an ETIAS visa waiver, which they will have to apply for online (meeting ETIAS requirements) and will cost 7 Euro (processing fee), persons under age 18 years do not pay for ETIAS. The ETIAS Visa/Authorization will be valid for 3 years and you can visit all of the EU countries using the same visa. (No need to apply for different visa to visit different countries, one will cover all Schengen countries for 3 years).
Below is the list of countries you will be able to enter with an ETIAS.
ETIAS Countries (26) - EU Members
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
The four (4) bolded Schengen countries are not part of the European Union.
Who needs Schengen Visa?? Who needs ETIAS??
Currently, there are more than 60 eligible nationalities who will need ETIAS to travel to Europe as of 2021.
If your country currently does not need a Schengen visa to visit Europe (meaning visa-free access) and now it does not appear in the list then, you will more than likely revert to having to apply for a Schengen Visa (do some research to double-check).
If your country currently needs a Schengen visa to visit Europe, then nothing will change for you, therefore, you will not need an ETIAS visa, you will continue to use a Schengen visa.
The ETIAS visa /authorization will only apply to those who currently do not need a Schengen visa to visit Europe.
HOW WILL BREXIT AFFECT YOU – THE TRAVELLER
- No matter how small the cost it will add more cost to your vacation budget in some way.
- You may not be successful when you apply for your ETIAS if you have some issues with overstaying in the EU previously or some criminal offenses you may never know but it comes with the added stress factor.
- Prices at hotels and airlines may be higher.
- The extra hassle and longer queues at the airport due to more screening.
- Basic commodities prices may increase, inclusive of food and services.
- Need for mandatory travel insurance.
- Less for your Forex (even the pound sterling fell to its lowest level in three years).
- Paperwork cost and time due to the application process (you may need to provide a police record during the application process) as Criminal record history will be one of the questions on the application.
Now is the time to Visit Europe!!
To summarize, whether there is a deal. or no deal BREXIT come January the 1st 2021. You will either need a Schengen visa or an ETIAS visa/authorization.
So now is the time to plan your vacation especially if it’s one of your bucket-list regions to visit. Therefore, now that you are guaranteed entry without a visa or the stress of having to apply for one, without a guarantee of obtaining it. You should seriously consider visiting, within this time frame of 1 year and 2 months before you need to qualify for your ETIAS or prices starts increasing.
Even if Bexit Deal or No-Deal comes into play in the morning, there will be a time-frame before changes, prices etc can be applied.
So, check my destination page and read the reviews of some of the EU countries I have been to and you may want to visit, and start planning A.S.A.P.
I hope I clarified this BREXIT and ETIAS 2021 topic a bit for you. So, share your thoughts with me regarding same.
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