Comments by "Matthew Nirenberg" (@matthewnirenberg) on "BBC News" channel.

@elsbells4841 I just check the website, whilst the FAQ has been updated, the border manuals (used by border guards) haven't. Thanks for pointing it out. Maybe someone has realized the mess it was going to cause and are changing it for the better. It sounds like new ETIAS border manuals and updated training will come out soon. Typical, just when everyone has been trained to the rules, they update them. I have to say, the whole ETIAS implementation has been a giant mess since it was first announced. Clearly it'll be another 10 versions of the border manual before they get it right.
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Clearly you've never travelled abroad. Hate to break it to you but all "western countries" have this type of system. If you've travelled then you'd know that all of CANZUK & CUNA have these systems and fees in place already. The UK is introducing their own eTA very soon.
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Oh and the part they left out is you have to specify the country of entry on the ETIAS. You can exit the EU (Schengen Zone) from any member state but you can only enter via the one you specified on your ETIAS. To change the country you'll need a whole new ETIAS. If a flight change occurs and the only available flight is to the EU (Schengen Zone) landing in a different country then you won't be flying unless you can somehow get a new ETIAS before boarding. The only way to avoid an ETIAS is to either: * Not go * Be a citizen of a country within the Schengen Zone * To have a visa from a country within the Schengen Zone Assuming you have no issues entering via the same country for 3yrs then yes it will last for 3yrs.
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ANY conviction makes you ineligible for an ETIAS - any such people will need a Schengen Visa.
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Yeah, most places haven't stamped passports for the last 15yrs, unless you're a tourist or its a 3rd world country. CANZUK & CUNA haven't stamped passports for their nationals visiting each other for 15yrs, its just electronically recorded. Eventually, once all countries move to digital recording of entries and exits, passports in their current form will likely disappear and be replaced with a card the size of the passport data page (like the plastic card datapage in EU passports). A lot of visas from big countries are now electronically recorded against passports and a printable confirmation is available to show airlines), or they're printed on a card the size of a licence.
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@OGCHuila Nope. If by card you're talking about where I was saying that eventually passports will likely become a card, then I was referring to the EU style full colour PVC card data page as seen in most EU passports, just on its own instead of being part of a passport. I.e. the data page but in full colour and printed on a card like a licence is, just passport sized. As far as I know, its mostly just the EU that have a PVC card data page in their passports, most other passports still have a sealed normal page. If you're talking about some of the visas that are now printed on cards the size of licences, they're full colour like licences.
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UK passports are cheap. If you want to see excessively expensive passport fees that are excessively expensive for zero legitimate reason, look at the cost of an Australian passport which has lost a lot of 'power/access' over the last decade. EU (Schengen) passports are much more valuable and a fraction the cost.
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Then you'll be treated like an EU national or anyone with an EU country visa. You won't need an ETIAS and your entries and exits will be tracked under the non-EES system. ETIAS & EES are to track tourist entry and to enforce the 90-day rule.
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@Esemptius ETIAS fee's cover maintaining ETIAS & the EES System. Its basically self funding, hence why its so cheap. Given that both are only for those who aren't EU Nationals, its only fair that they fund the system that ensures they're not criminals, aren't illegally working (remote work or vlogging - seriously, just get a business visa - it's easy) and aren't illegally overstaying.
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Six quid every three years, unless, you need to enter via a different country. ETIAS will require you to specify the country you'll enter via; you'll be able to leave from any but you'll be restricted where you enter according to the country you chose when applying. This means the days of a flight issue bumping you to 'the next flight' will become either 'the next flight to country [X]' or 'nothing until your get a new ETIAS. I've never understood why they want this country of entry as listed requirement - there's been many times where flights get cancelled to one EU country but the airline runs a flight to a neighbouring one and then puts you on the train to get to the intended country.
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@cainneachdaugherty7172 If you read the two replies above your comment replying to mine, you'll notice some discussion about how its not an issue, just the website being updated but not yet filtering through all the way. Basically as elsbells4841 pointed out, the ETIAS website says that where you enter can change from where you intended to enter on the ETIAS. It would seem that someone has realized how much of a mess it was going to be and has started to fix things before it comes into force. As I mentioned in a reply to elsbells4841, the ETIAS border manuals will likely be updated and sent around soon with update training for border guards, so that things all agree. The whole ETIAS/EES project has been an absolute mess since the beginning.
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EES is only for third country nationals as it tracks compliance with the 90-day rule. EU nationals simply get their entry and exit electronically recorded as they have for the last 10yrs. ETIAS & EES is for third country nationals only.
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Then you're traveling nowhere. Basically everywhere wants at least index fingerprints, most places want all fingerprints. The ones that don't care about fingerprints (AU, NZ), go for facial scans (by looking at camera). Some places like Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, the Middle East (UAE) require fingerprints, facial scan and iris scan. Heck, most licences in most of the "western world" require you to give the govt your fingerprints.
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Surprised you aren't aware - eTA's required for visiting the UK very soon. Its been news around the world for a while.
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I've always found it funny how third country nationals are required by the EU to provide full fingerprints (incl. edge, palm and wrist), but EU nationals only have to provide the fingerprints of their index fingers when getting their passports, and no the eGates don't record the others, they only look for a match.
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