Planning your 2025 Euro summer already? There’s a new travel fee you’ll need to factor in. From next year, Australians aged between 18 and 70 will need to pay a €7 ($11.50 AUD) fee to enter or transit through 30 countries within Europe. This is all part of the EU’s new visa system – the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) – set to roll out in the first half of 2025.
At the moment, Aussies can travel around most of Europe or countries in the Schengen area, with just their passport. But once the new ETIAS system kicks in, Australians will need to apply and pay for a visa before arriving in countries, including France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland. This will only apply to tourists and business travellers staying up to 90 days (if you want to stay longer, you’ll need another visa entirely), and will need to be secured at least 96 hours before departure.
While the new visa waiver might sound complicated (and pricey), it actually isn’t too much of an extra hassle. Aussie travellers won’t need to pay the fee every time they enter an EU country. The visa waiver will be linked to their passport and is valid for three years, so they'll only need to renew it when it expires or if they get a new passport – whichever comes first.
To apply for an ETIAS visa waiver, Australians will need to fill out a form online or via the mobile app. Most applications are expected to be approved within minutes, though more complex cases could take up to 30 days. The processing fee will be a standard €7, which works out to be $11.50 AUD – not too bad.
The ETIAS system is expected to launch in mid-2025, so make the most of visa-free travel to Europe while you can. Or check out our list of dreamy destinations in Australia that'll make you feel like you're on a European holiday.
You can find out more about the ETIAS visa waiver here.
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