Visa requirements for EU countries

[TAD2005]

I don't know if anyone has seen a news article today saying that the EU has voted to drop the visa-waiver program for US and Canadian visitors to EU countries. This is a reciprocal agreement between the US, Canada and the EU. US and Canadian citizens can visit the EU countries without a visa, and EU citizens can visit the US and Canada without a visa. Five countries that have joined the EU, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania are not yet allowed to visit the US and Canada visa-free. This was supposed to be approved 2 years ago. However the news article says that the EU Parliament must vote to approve this action, which they feel is unlikely. Requiring US and Canadian tourists to have to obtain a Visa for entering the EU would be financial suicide for the tourism industry, and for a continent already suffering from reduced tourism due to terrorist attacks in the past. See news article at this link.

http://www.askbte.com/RedlineNews/RedlineNews1/EU_Decision_on_Suspending_US_Visa_Waiver_Set_for_J_73909.aspx

[OlsSalt]

Thanks for this post - very interesting.

[POA1]

The EU Parliament voted to "urge" an end to visa free travel from the US. It's a non-binding resolution, BTW.

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/eu-parliament-calls-to-end-visa-free-travel-for-u-s-citizens-1488476501

[sppunk]

This is a PR stunt only at this time, no change in entry requirements. A real EU vote would be in August.

[Despegue]

In reality, this is just a message to the new US Administration that we can and will end visa free travel for US citizens if US entry requirements will become more strict for EU citizens, and there is no headway into allowing the non-esta approved member states into esta.

Not only tourists would be affected, but also businesses, like Fedex and UPS whose crews are now able to fly to/from and within Europe. This could end with a Visa requirement and thus creating a nightmare for said companies. I fully expect that both sides will see the light and choose to cooperate and be the good partners we have always been instead of looking for confrontation.

[taxmantoo]

I think a lot of people on both sides of the pond need to switch to decaf :rolleyes:

[hbgroadends]

I think a lot of people on both sides of the pond need to switch to decaf :rolleyes:

 

Amen to that!

[cruisemom42]

I fully expect that both sides will see the light and choose to cooperate and be the good partners we have always been instead of looking for confrontation.

 

 

I share that hope. But this has certainly been a period of the unexpected coming to pass, so it remains to be seen...

[kazu]

Considering the EU just signed a breaking free trade agreement with Canada, I would be very surprised if visas were required for Canadians, but this has been a surprising year ;)

[RDC1]

In reality, this is just a message to the new US Administration that we can and will end visa free travel for US citizens if US entry requirements will become more strict for EU citizens, and there is no headway into allowing the non-esta approved member states into esta.

Not only tourists would be affected, but also businesses, like Fedex and UPS whose crews are now able to fly to/from and within Europe. This could end with a Visa requirement and thus creating a nightmare for said companies. I fully expect that both sides will see the light and choose to cooperate and be the good partners we have always been instead of looking for confrontation.

 

 

Actually this dates back to 2014, well before the new administration. At that time there were several countries, including Canada and Australia that also required Visas for those 5 EU countries. It is being revisited because the other countries have agreed to visa less travel, leaving only the US.

 

The US still requires a Visa for those 5 countries because the US Department of State considers the controls for issuing passports in those countries to be inadequate for them to be added to the Visa waiver program.

 

So nothing new and it predates the current administration.

[Cruise Junky]

Don't add Canada into this. We're dropping the visa requirement for those counties in December. The USA is the lone holdout.