Yahoo Finance New travel ‘tax’ for Aussies as passport cops 'double-digit increase': ‘Inconvenience’
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System $11.50 fee is one of many added costs that Aussie travellers are being slugged with.
Aussies will have to pay a new travel “tax” when jetting off to some popular European destinations from next year. It’s just one of the extra costs that will make travel more expensive for those hoping for a getaway.
Aussies can currently travel to most of Europe with just their passport, but from early next year you will now need to apply for a new visa before arriving in countries like France, Germany, Italy and Spain. This is known as the ETIAS, or the European Travel Information and Authorisation System.
Australian Travel Industry Association CEO Dean Long told Yahoo Finance this meant travellers would be required to take an “additional step” to register their personal details.
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“It’s not going to have a huge impact on people traveling to Europe because of the scale of it but it is another tax that people have to pay when travelling,” Long said.
“It’s really because governments aren’t being as efficient as what they need to be with the information they already have.
“It’s not uncommon but it is just one of those items where it’s another inconvenience, it’s another stress factor that travelers need to worry about because governments aren’t talking within themselves.”
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What is ETIAS?
The ETIAS will be linked to your passport and will be required for Australians travelling to 30 countries within Europe. It will come into effect in the first half of 2025.
This includes most European nations and includes: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Applications will be done online via the ETIAS website or app. Most applications are processed “within minutes”, the website noted, but it noted Aussies should apply “well in advance”.
How much does it cost?
The cost of applying for the ETIAS is €7, which is about $11.50, but there will be no cost for travellers under 18 and above 70.
It will be valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
What other travel fees should I be aware of?
Passport prices
Australia currently has the second-most expensive passport in the world after Liechtenstein, thanks to a one-off 15 per cent increase in July.
It now costs $398 for a standard adult 10-year passport, but this figure will rise again in January with inflation.
“Looking at CPI, they will have between a 4 and 5 per cent increase upon the 1st of January. So you are looking at a double-digit increase for a passport [over the last year],” Long told Yahoo Finance.
“Your first thought [might be] if you can afford to travel, you can probably afford to pay a little bit more for the document. But your passport is your number one identity document so when you’re applying for a mortgage, a lease.”
Tourist fees and taxes
Popular international travel destinations have also started cracking down on tourists with added taxes and fees.
Bali introduced a 150,000 IDR - about $15 - foreign tourist tax on February 14 this year. The tax, which tourists have to pay on top of a $50 visa-on-arrival, was introduced to help protect Bali’s cultural sites and local environment.
Venice has also introduced a fee for day-trippers visiting the city during peak season and peak hours. This will be €5 - or about $8.
‘Hidden’ fees
There are a range of other “hidden” fees and taxes travellers are copping, Long said, including increases to the passenger movement charge.
International travellers have been paying $10 more for the charge since July 1, after the Commonwealth increased the fee to $70.
“There’s lots of hidden taxes. The UK has a departure tax which is based on distance. All of these taxes are hidden or collected in a really difficult way, like this €7 fee on your visa,” Long said.
“On the flip side, you’ve now got visa-free travel to China for Australians which doesn’t cost anything so that’s been a reduction in cost impacts.”
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