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Future fees for travelers to Europe have been postponed again.
The ETIAS Visa Waiver Program is scheduled to take effect in 2025, one year later than scheduled.
On October 19, eu-LISA, the EU agency responsible for the future digital immigration system and ETIAS, informed ministers that more time was needed to implement the changes.
The Immigration System – a central database that tracks non-EU residents as they enter the bloc – is expected to come into force in late 2024. The ETIAS program will then begin in the first half of 2025.
Once ETIAS is launched, you will be able to enter EU countries starting from $7.70. As the name suggests, this is not a visa. It is a system for visitors from countries that do not require a visa to enter Europe to register their visit in advance. Those who currently require a visa to enter the country will still need one.
While many US citizens seem shocked by this move, they may be surprised to learn that the ETIAS system is modeled after the ESTA visa waiver program introduced by the US in 2009. And, of course, citizens of many countries need a “real” visa to their EU member state, which is not only an expensive but also a time-consuming procedure.
ETIAS will join the myriad of lodging and “tourist taxes” already levied across Europe. Here’s what you need to know about them.
ETIAS was originally scheduled to start in May 2023, but has been postponed several times and is currently scheduled to start in 2024. It was again postponed until 2025. There is no need to worry about registering for Mediterranean Summer 2025 as it is not possible to apply in advance.
Nationals of around 60 non-EU countries currently do not require a visa to enter the EU, including the US, UK, Japan, Singapore and the UAE. EU residents are exempt regardless of their nationality.
Meanwhile, people who currently need a visa to enter the EU will continue to need one.
ETIAS operates along similar lines to the US ESTA program. A traveler must apply for her entry permit to the EU through a simple online process before traveling.
The fee is 7 euros ($7.70) and covers multiple entries for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. This is cheaper than ESTA, which costs $21 for two years.
The EU predicts that applications will be processed in “minutes” and the majority will be completed within 96 hours. However, it warns that “some applicants may be required to provide additional information or documents or to participate in an interview with national authorities, which may take up to an additional 30 days.” We recommend that you do not book flights or accommodation until you receive confirmation.
For more information, please visit the official ETIAS website. Additional charges may apply if you go through a third party.
Most cities in continental Europe now impose a “tourist tax” on overnight tourists. Usually a few euros will be added to your bill at the end of your stay, but you may have to pay in cash. If you’re staying in an Airbnb, your host will often receive this from you upon arrival.
This tax typically goes toward buffering public services impacted by visitors, such as garbage collection and street cleaning. For example, Amsterdam recently allocated an additional 7 million euros to its public transport network. Additionally, you are typically billed only for a set period of time (usually up to one week). That way, you will be rewarded for staying longer.
A notable exception is the UK, but this is changing. Manchester has become the first UK city to introduce a £1 (approximately $1.30) tax on accommodation in March 2023. Edinburgh is expected to follow suit, with Wales also considering introducing a visitor tax on overnight stays.
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Amsterdam charges a hefty 7% tax on your room rate.
In that case, you’ll probably end up paying overnight tax no matter where you stay. Most European countries impose these taxes, but they tend to be lower in less popular municipalities. Remember that tourism places a greater burden on destinations, countries and regions that are often significantly poorer than the tourists themselves.
good question. Not only are cruises notorious for being bad for the environment, but they also have a negative impact on the cities that passengers flock to on port days. Passengers spend precious little money at their destination, as it is already provided on board.
Some cities responded by introducing arrival taxes on cruise passengers. If the ship docks in Barcelona for more than 12 hours, you will be charged 4.75 euros (local surcharge of 3 euros, city surcharge of 1.75 euros). A visitor arriving in Amsterdam on a cruise pays 8 euros. This is only valid for boats docked that day. Exemptions apply if your cruise starts or ends in Amsterdam or if you stay overnight in the city.
However, cruise ships are not the only ones that impose landing taxes when arriving by sea. Italy has a “contributo di sbarco” or disembarkation fee, which non-resident passengers must pay when arriving on the island, whether by public ferry or private boat. Prices are set by local authorities.
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The Portuguese city of Pretty Olhão has introduced a tourism tax in 2023.
Yes – basically, the more popular the location, the more you will pay. If you stay in Barcelona, for example, you’ll pay a ‘city surcharge’ for your stay in the region’s capital, on top of the regular Catalan tourist tax.
In Amsterdam, the hotel charge is 7% of the hotel rate plus 3 euros per person per night.
In Vienna, the remaining 11% is rounded down from 3.2% of the total room price excluding breakfast and sales tax. The calculation is approximately 2.5%.
In Portugal, the three municipalities on the Algarve coastline that are crowded with tourists, Faro, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, and Olhão, impose a tourist tax. euro, otherwise 2 euro).
Importantly, the more luxurious your accommodation, the more you will pay. For example, in Rome, if you stay in a 3-star hotel, you will pay a tax of 4 euros per night, compared to 6 euros for a 4-star hotel and 7 euros for a 5-star hotel.
In Venice, taxes range from 1 euro per person per night in 1-star hotels to 5 euros in 5-star hotels. To encourage people to stay longer, taxes are only paid for the first five nights.
And in Paris, prices range from just 0.20 euros in a one-star hotel to 5 euros per person per night in the swanky “Palais” hotel.
Throughout France, prices vary by municipality and accommodation class and range from 0.20 euros to 4.20 euros outside Paris.
In Greece, it depends solely on the type of accommodation, with prices ranging from 0.50 euros to 4 euros per room per night.
The highly controversial ‘contributo di accesso’ admission fee to Venice has been repeatedly postponed since it was first proposed in 2019, but is now scheduled for 2024. Prices have been announced from 3 euros on quiet days to 10 euros during peak hours. times.
However, this fee only targets day-trippers, who are thought to make up 90% of visitor numbers, contributing little to the local economy and causing many problems for the city. If you stay overnight, you will be exempt from paying the city tax for the night as you have already paid it.
No, many U.S. states first impose a “lodging tax,” and many U.S. hotels also add a “resort fee,” which is not passed back into the community. Taxes are also standard in Caribbean countries and are typically added to hotel rates. Tourists arriving in New Zealand are charged an entrance tax, and travelers departing from Japan are charged an exit tax.
