Updated: EU To Require Electronic Travel Authorization [ETIAS] for non-EU citizens
#107
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British citizenship and British nationality is quite the complex due to the UK's history as a far-flung empire upon which the sun never set (until it did). And it's reflected in British passports.
#109
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The New York Times:
E.U. Lawmakers Call for End to Visa-Free Travel for Americans
Excerpts:
Excerpts:
<snip>
The resolution, while nonbinding, was an important political signal, and it increases pressure on the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, to confront the new administration in Washington, even though it may prove to be as intransigent on the matter as the Obama administration, if not more.
The European Parliament also warned that it could take the further step of bringing the European Commission to court if it continues not to stand up to Washington.
<snip>
European officials in Brussels have balked at making travel to Europe more difficult for Americans, saying doing so would have an economic cost and would most likely not even resolve the hurdles facing citizens of the five affected countries.
<snip>
The resolution, while nonbinding, was an important political signal, and it increases pressure on the European Commission, the bloc’s executive body, to confront the new administration in Washington, even though it may prove to be as intransigent on the matter as the Obama administration, if not more.
The European Parliament also warned that it could take the further step of bringing the European Commission to court if it continues not to stand up to Washington.
<snip>
European officials in Brussels have balked at making travel to Europe more difficult for Americans, saying doing so would have an economic cost and would most likely not even resolve the hurdles facing citizens of the five affected countries.
<snip>
#110
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Setting up an ESTA-style system for Americans does nothing to solve the problem. It won't get the non-VWP EU states added to the program. It will just lead to fewer Americans traveling to Europe. It's not a winning situation, other than sticking it to the US.
It would hurt European businesses while having zero impact on US ones.
As to why the five countries haven't been added to VWP, except for Cyprus they're all significantly over the maximum tourist visa refusal rate of 3%. Cyprus dropped to 2% last year, after having been in the 3.5% range the previous two years. 2016 numbers: Bulgaria, 16.86%. Croatia, 6.78%. Poland, 5.37%. Romania, 11.43%
It would hurt European businesses while having zero impact on US ones.
As to why the five countries haven't been added to VWP, except for Cyprus they're all significantly over the maximum tourist visa refusal rate of 3%. Cyprus dropped to 2% last year, after having been in the 3.5% range the previous two years. 2016 numbers: Bulgaria, 16.86%. Croatia, 6.78%. Poland, 5.37%. Romania, 11.43%
#111
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This is such an arbitrary measure though, isn't it? American consulates deny and grant visas based on arbitraty and subjective feelings regarding the applicant. This has nothing to do with the actual law-abidingness of the citizens once arrived, which would make more sense. A more realistic way would be to see how manyu people overstay from each country... But then there is a danger that some of those on the VWP list do overstay more than those that are not on it, isn't there?
#112
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The only way to test your theory is to implement 100% exit controls in the US, then allow everyone visa-free entry, then see what the percentages of people who overstay their visa from each country. That's not feasible of course.
I don't know why 3% was chosen, but that has been the criteria for a long time.
#113
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It's a false equivalency. The idea is that by denying a tourist or other type of visa, you cut down on the potential pool of people who plan to overstay. I know plenty of Brasilians who would love to get a tourist visa so they could come and live in the US. Dozens that I've known personally over the years. None of them even apply for a tourist visa since they know they'll get shot down.
The only way to test your theory is to implement 100% exit controls in the US, then allow everyone visa-free entry, then see what the percentages of people who overstay their visa from each country. That's not feasible of course.
I don't know why 3% was chosen, but that has been the criteria for a long time.
The only way to test your theory is to implement 100% exit controls in the US, then allow everyone visa-free entry, then see what the percentages of people who overstay their visa from each country. That's not feasible of course.
I don't know why 3% was chosen, but that has been the criteria for a long time.
#114
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#115
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My family and I are due to go to the UK for a wedding at the end of June and I'm worried this will mean we end up scrambling for visa's for my husband and the kids (I hold dual US-UK nationality). I hope if this ends up being anything by then it's an ESTA style 'visa' rather than a traditional.
I don't really have a good understanding either of how the EU implements visa requirements. Would this affect entry into the UK in the same way (assuming brexit doesn't happen by then)? What are the odds of this being a very sudden traditional visa requirement? I'm worried this will turn into us scrambling to get visas and paying silly amounts of money the day before our trip although I realize that's unlikely.
I don't really have a good understanding either of how the EU implements visa requirements. Would this affect entry into the UK in the same way (assuming brexit doesn't happen by then)? What are the odds of this being a very sudden traditional visa requirement? I'm worried this will turn into us scrambling to get visas and paying silly amounts of money the day before our trip although I realize that's unlikely.
#116
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My family and I are due to go to the UK for a wedding at the end of June and I'm worried this will mean we end up scrambling for visa's for my husband and the kids (I hold dual US-UK nationality). I hope if this ends up being anything by then it's an ESTA style 'visa' rather than a traditional.
I don't really have a good understanding either of how the EU implements visa requirements. Would this affect entry into the UK in the same way (assuming brexit doesn't happen by then)? What are the odds of this being a very sudden traditional visa requirement? I'm worried this will turn into us scrambling to get visas and paying silly amounts of money the day before our trip although I realize that's unlikely.
I don't really have a good understanding either of how the EU implements visa requirements. Would this affect entry into the UK in the same way (assuming brexit doesn't happen by then)? What are the odds of this being a very sudden traditional visa requirement? I'm worried this will turn into us scrambling to get visas and paying silly amounts of money the day before our trip although I realize that's unlikely.
#118
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Even if the European Commission were to go ahead and get this in place -- and we aren't even close to seeing that happen in the next several months at least -- I would expect that the UK would slow-go this even more than Schengen countries and then not even do it.
#119
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The UK and Ireland have their own Common Travel Area. You have to show a passport to go between the Schengen Area and the CTA.
#120
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This all seems so very shortsighted on behalf of the EU. Something like this will have a huge impact on the entire region with respect to lost tourism revenue, just to make a political statement over a few countries...who probably don't have anywhere near the numbers of US entrants. My guess is that the full vote will not approve this, but the "nonbinding advisory" vote will be there way of trying to send a message...one that falls on deaf ears mind you.