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Yesterday European Commission officials revealed they were “on track” to introduce their long-planned European Travel Information and Authorisation System from the start of 2023. It would require Brits to apply for permission to visit EU countries and provide information about their identity, passport, education, job, recent travel and criminal convictions.
Completing the form will cost £6 (€7), and will be valid for three years and can be used for multiple trips.
News of the needless bureaucracy instantly sparked anger among many Brexiteers.
Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage told Express.co.uk that the move was classic of a “small-minded, petty and self-destructive” EU.
But many arrogant europhiles saw fit to blame people for complaining about the charge – instantly branding them little Englanders who were now paying the price for voting to leave the bloc.
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“There is no consequence of Brexit that can’t be spun this way, if that clears the bar.
“Incidentally, this is why I’ve consistently thought that Remainers/Rejoiners expecting the ‘other shoe to drop’ on Brexit’s consequences are deluding themselves.
“The trenches in the culture war run deep and people’s views are safe in bunkers reality’s shelling can’t penetrate.”
The pre-authorisation fee is expected to apply to around 40 million people, and will only be waived for under 18s and over 70s.
The ETIAS scheme will mean citizens from more than 60 countries outside the Schengen free-travel zone, also including Australia and the US, are required to pre-register for visa-free travel to Europe.
It has been compared to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) used to revisit the United States.
Tory MP Peter Bone lashed out at the EU’s visa scheme as a sign of anti-Britishness in the wake of Brexit.
He said: “It doesn’t surprise me, it’s just another part of the anti-United Kingdom attitude they’ve taken since we’ve left the EU.
“If it is free to come into this country it should be free for us to go to Europe.”
The EU Commission said: “The system will cross-check travellers against EU information systems for internal security, borders and migration before their trip, helping to identify ahead of time people who may pose a risk to security or health, as well as compliance with migration rules.”
Home Secretary Priti Patel has announced similar plans to introduce a digital pre-authorisation system for foreigners entering the UK.
No details have been released about the cost of such visas or when the scheme will be introduced.
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