Carnival Cruise Line has begun informing guests sailing from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy; Barcelona, Spain; and Dover, England about new visa requirements mandated by The European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom (UK).
The EU and UK recently announced that electronic visas will be required from citizens of formerly visa-exempt countries, including residents of the United States (US) and Canada. The change affects travelers arriving by land and sea and entails the payment of additional fees.
The cruise line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, shared the information on Facebook and referred to the company’s updated guidelines. “We have now added the following to our website regarding the visas required to cruise on the ships that are leaving from Dover, United Kingdom, Barcelona, Spain, and Civitavecchia, Italy,” Heald posted.
Meanwhile, Carnival’s site now includes new sections under “Travel Documents & Check–in” entitled “ETA – UK Electronic Travel Authorization” and “ETIAS – European Travel Information and Authorization System.”
EU’s European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) and Entry/Exit System (EES)
The European Travel Information and Authorization System will be mandatory when entering Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Portugal, Poland, Norway, Netherlands, Malta, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Latvia, Italy, Ireland, Hungary, Greece, Germany, France, Finland, Estonia, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Bulgaria, Belgium, and Austria.
Getting an ETIAS involves an online application, a €7 fee (approximately $8.50), and an approval time of up to 96 hours. The authorization facilitates entry into 30 countries and stays of up to 180 days.
Meanwhile, the Entry/Exit System relies on face and fingerprint scanning, replacing passports when identifying non-EU nationals. Non-EU travelers won’t need to secure any documents before traveling but must register with the system before entering any EU country.
Authorities say that ETIAS will be rolled out in the middle of 2025 while EES will be introduced sometime this year.
UK’s Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA)
Last January 8, the UK began asking international visitors from the US, Canada, and other non-European countries without short-stay visas to obtain Electronic Travel Authorizations before entering the nation.
Like the EU’s ETIAS, tourists must apply for an ETA online and pay the £10 fee (approximately $12.20). Applications can take anywhere from a few hours to three business days to process.
Once secured, the travel authorization can be used on multiple UK entries, allowing the bearer to stay for up to six months. Each visa is valid for two years or until one’s passport expires, whichever comes first.
Starting, April 2, 2025, EU citizens will also be mandated to acquire the same ETA. The only exemptions are UK and Irish citizens along with holders of valid UK visas.
Travelers visiting both countries must acquire an ETA and ETIAS.
