British tourists to EU could face e-visa post Brexit

London, Feb 23: British tourists who travel to the European Union (EU) post Brexit could face a version of Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (Esta), a US online electronic visa scheme.

British immigration minister Robert Goodwill told Parliament on Thursday that the EU is considering adopting a new version of Esta, according to The Independent.

Currently, foreign travellers must pay a fee of £11 ($14) when they complete Esta, which determines their eligibility to travel to the US. “British people are now used to the US Esta scheme and, therefore, we view with interest how the European scheme might develop and what similarities, and differences, there may be to the US scheme,” the British daily quoted Mr Goodwill.

“This type of scheme is generally there to help enhance security. To get to know as much as possible about the people who are intending to travel. It isn’t just flights; it could be people using ferries or other border crossings into the European Union.”

Alan Brown, an SNP member of the European Scrutiny Committee, pointed out that Leave advocates in the referendum campaign had said there would be no need for visa-like travel schemes after Brexit. “An Esta still takes time and costs money and it is something people have to repeat,” he said.

But Mr Goodwill replied that it is still too early to know if this would apply to British residents visiting the continent after the

UK leaves the EU. “We will not be members of the European Union and it will be impossible, I think, at this early stage to speculate on the effect this might have on British citizens or other third country nationals,” he said.

“It is important that as we negotiate with our European Union friends, that we can get the best possible deal, and we need to take account of developments such as this that they may be working on.” Mr Goodwill added that the US system is not journey-specific and some Estas lasted for ten years.

— Agencies