EU has new travel rules in 2022. The two new border systems that will be established for many will be a slight change for entry and exit from the EU and the Schengen area.
Two changes when it comes to travel to the European Union will take effect next year. The two new border systems that will be established for many will represent a slight change for entry and exit from the EU and the Schengen zone, reports thelocal.de.
EES Entry / Exit system for EU
This does not change anything in terms of visas or travel documents or passenger rights, but it does change the way the EU’s external borders are controlled. It is essentially a security upgrade, replacing the current system that relies on border guards with stamps with electronic entry equipment that will register more details such as immigration status.
This applies to the EU’s external borders, so it does not apply if traveling between France and Germany, for example, but it would apply if entering any EU country or Schengen area from a non-EU country, for example, crossing from the UK to France or a flight to Germany from the US.
Instead of border guards stealing passports or stamps where possible, electronic checks of some passports will be carried out at the border. Many airports, of course, already have biometric scanners for passports, but they only check if the passport is valid and if the photo suits your face, reports thelocal.de.
The EES also calculates how long you can stay in the EU based on your residence rights or 90-day allowance, and also checks whether your passport has ever been marked for immigration offenses, such as a visa overrun.
This applies to citizens of non-EU countries who enter the EU as visitors and not as residents. The system scans your passport and will tell you how long you can stay. This does not affect citizens of non-EU countries who live in the EU and have a national residence permit, as they have the right to unlimited residence in their country of residence.
The European Commission has described how this system would work.
“The entry/exit system will not apply to people who are not citizens but live in an EU country and have a residence permit or document. Their personal data will not be registered in the entry/exit system. “It is enough for the holders of such documents to present them to the border guards in order to prove their status,” it is stated.
READ MORE: Canada extends international travel ban until January 2021
Based on this answer, it should be concluded that those who have a residence permit for an EU country should not use passport gates with automatic scanners, but should line up where the border guard is, where they can show their passport and residence document.
However, there is no suggestion whether those with a permanent residence will encounter future problems if they go through the part with an automatic scanner when entering the EU because their residence status is guaranteed – as long as they can prove it with their permission. Although they might face the inconvenience of a few additional questions the next time they travel.
The European Commission started consultations on this for the first time in 2016, with a planned start date of 2020. The coronavirus pandemic has changed that, so the temporary start date is now “the first half of 2022.”
For non-EU nationals residing in the EU, this could mean the end of a rather inconsistent passport printing process, which is a particular issue for Britons after Brexit.
For EU visitors, this tightens the application of the 90-day rule.
That only means the rule, but it also means that anyone who tries to exceed the stay or play with the system will be noticed immediately.
Another goal for which the European Commission is introducing all this is security, which should make it easier to identify security risks at the borders.
ETIAS – European Travel Information and Authorization System
This is only relevant for non-EU citizens who do not live permanently in an EU country or have an EU visa. Therefore, it includes tourists, owners of other houses, those who are on family visits or working on short-term jobs.
Citizens of many non-EU countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, can spend up to 90 days, every 180 in the EU or the Schengen area, without the need for a visa – the so-called 90-day rule.
From 2022, this will change – people still have the right to spend up to 90 days for every 180 but the process will no longer be complete without an administrator. Instead, travelers will need to fill out an online application before traveling.
READ MORE: British Virgin Islands Reopens Borders to International Travelers
Once issued, the authorization lasts for three years, so frequent travelers do not have to fill out a new application every time, but it must be renewed every three years. Each application costs seven euros but is free for those under 18 and for those over 70.
The European Commission says that applications should be processed within a few minutes, but advises passengers to register 72 hours in advance in case of delay.
This system is expected to be introduced in 2022, but there is still no exact date. For anyone who has recently traveled to the U.S., the system is essentially similar to the ESTA visa required for short stays.
