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Holiday Chaos Fears Over EU ‘Big Brother’ Visas”.
Under the EU Entry/Exit System, holidaymakers will be expected to reveal health conditions and details of their trips before being granted entry permits.
Other conditions for receiving a visa under the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) include sharing information about criminal records, the purpose of travel and the location of your first night’s stay.
It’s feared the new entry requirements will case hours-long queues at Britain’s air, ferry and rail ports, the Mail On Sunday reported.
Once successful, visitors can stay 90 days within an 180-day period.
Etias authorisation is linked to your passport and valid for up to three years, or until your passport expires.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “We understand the concerns of British travellers and the sector around the EU’s new travel requirements and we are liaising closely with European partners to ensure their plans do not cause unnecessary delays for Britons travelling abroad.
“We are also working with the French Government, port authorities and operators to ensure there is minimal disruption, particularly where checks are conducted by French officers prior to departure for example at Dover.”
Port of Dover spokesman Richard Christian told the newspaper: “We are very space-constrained within the ferry terminal with cliffs behind, and sea in front. The footprint we have to work with is already limited.
“If we don’t have the regulation changed, then it will be a lot more difficult for us to be able to deal with the process.
“It will make it lot slower.” They will also have to provide detailed personal information in advance – including health conditions and planned itineraries – before being granted a travel permit.
Last night, bosses at Britain’s busiest ferry and rail ports warned that the expected delays of cars and lorries could cause hundreds of millions of pounds of damage to the economy, while British holidaymakers will face long queues at European airports as they line up to submit their information.
Privacy groups have also objected to European authorities holding personal data.
The plans – which could be seen as Brussels taking ‘revenge’ for Brexit – are due to be introduced by next summer, although the EU is facing calls for them to be delayed until after the Paris Olympics in July and August to limit the chaos.
The EU Entry-Exit System (EES) which will apply to travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries, will allow Brussels to check whether British travellers are exceeding their post-Brexit restriction of 90 days’ stay in any 180-day period – a rule currently enforced by border guards checking passport stamps.
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