Americans are eager to move forward from the long-suffered constraints of the Pandemic era as the new year arrives. Taking bucket list-type trips overseas is something that many people do.
New regulations, systems and services will affect American trippers in the years to come. Travelers need to know about some of the major developments this year.
The online passport renewal portal is expected to be launched by the State Department.
In order to increase efficiency, President Biden ordered the development of the new system in December of 2021.
It will soon be possible to take a passport photo without having to wait in line at a passport office. The digital service will allow you to pay your renewal fees electronically, as well as uploading a photo from your phone.
The new renewal option will be more convenient for applicants, but it won't be as fast or as cheap as the old method. The State Department says that the wait times for applications will be the same as for mail-in applications and that they will take three to five weeks to process. The same fees will be charged for online renewals.
Travelers will soon be charged a visitor fee for entering member states of the European Union. Fear not, it isn't a big deal.
The European Travel Information and Authorization System will be rolled out in November and non-E.U. citizens will need to fill out a form and pay.
If you are going to enter any of the 26 countries that have eliminated controls at their shared borders, you will need to get an etias clearance.
Travelers will need to submit their application and get an authorization before they leave. For up to 90 days without a visa, holders can visit the region and the authorization is valid for three years.
In Europe, a new Entry/Exit System will take effect in May 2023, an automated IT system that will register third-country (non-E.U.) travelers' personal information, fingerprints and captured facial images.
The European Commission says that the current system of manually checking and stamped visitor passports does not allow a systematic detection of over-stayers.
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