"Visa War" between Europe and US - Need Help/Advice!

You may be overly worried. Nothing's a done deal yet. If it does happen, you'll find out what to do...but there's nothing you can do now (no point in worrying about something that may be averted). There is no "process" spelled out on how to get a VISA because it hasn't been implemented yet, and may not be.
http://time.com/money/4689914/americans-europe-visa/

It has not been imposed yet. The E.U. Commission has May 2017 deadline to impose this.
Get the Travel Insurance if you have not. If it happens I imagine it will be handled like flights to Cuba where you get the Visa on the day of the flight for a fee. Or like when you go to Egypt you have to buy a visa at the airport when you get there.
The people will not want to lose tourism money.

Nobody knows when, or if, it will be implemented because it hasn't been finalized yet - and may never be.

It could end up being like Australia, where you get an electronic visa online in advance. No big deal.

It will never pass a final vote (and if it does, you will see a big exodus from the EU, England will have a lot of company) as it would be a financial disaster for the European tourist business. This was/is just a lot of political hot air.

If the want it to make truly based on reciprocity they should require a visa only on Americans who reside in some States, not all of the US.

I doubt that is going to happen. But if the Trump administration continues what is doing to Europeans, then they might.

It's not going to happen. They would be cutting branch they are sitting on. Loosing a lot of money. There was a talk like that before, too. And then many more countries of EU needed visa for US and it did not happen. And we would certainly retaliate and then all tourists enterprises (hotels, restaurants, museums etc.) would loose money and airlines, too. I simply don't see that it's possible to happen (disclaimer: I also did not see that's possible for current president to be elected).

If this happens, and it looks unlikely, there will be plenty of notice before it becomes mandatory. The Visa process would most likely be fairly simple as well, probably an online form to fill out pay a fee and print out a paper to include with your passport. Or you will be able to get a visitor's visa at the airport when you arrive there and it will be a sticker or stamp put into your passport.

This is just regular political noise making. Most countries requiring visas for US citizens only implemented them because the US required visas from their citizens. And when the price changes for the US visas, so do the prices for those country's visas.

So tell me if the EU was to decide to require lets say Californians to have a visa to go to Europe, but let people from all other states in without question do you think the US would not have an issue with that?

This is not about tourism etc... this is about the fact that the US treated some EU citizens differently to others and that is not acceptable. So unless the US changes it's attitude I'd say it is highly likely that visa requirements will indeed happen.

Sorry, but if some EU citizens cannot travel to the US without a visa, why should Americans be entitled to travel to the EU without a visa?

We have to pay the cost of an ESTA even if we are only transiting through the US, which is ridiculous!

Trump has stated that he wants to see the breakup of the EU, so you can expect more retaliation.

I think the concern for the OP was that something might happen too soon before her trip to deal with.

I have the same concern! We are booked for a 7 night cruise out of Barcelona in August. If we had to obtain a Visa in the ordinary fashion it would involve flying to San Francisco from Seattle for myself and three family members as well as an overnight expense. All doable but expensive and possibly not timely if things change late in the summer. Definitely going to get trip insurance and keep my ears open. I am even wondering if we should just get a Schengen Visa (or if they'd even issue us one) just in case.

Helenkathleen, I don't think there is a provision for US citizens to get a Schengen visa except for the long-stay visas that allow visits in excess of 90 days. Believe me, you do not want to go through that process (proof of income, assets, health insurance and possibly a long-term lease).

The odds that anything significant will happen before your trip are quite low. Even if a visa requirement is imposed, I am assuming--like others here--that there will be plenty of time allowed for travelers to get visas or a lot of advance notice, or both. Edited to add: That makes no sense! I meant to say that either the visa process will be quite simple or there will be a lot of advance notice.]

Here's an article from the Economist . IF the visa thing does happen, it'll take years to be implemented

To the people concerned about their trips: there is NO visa requirement and NONE forthcoming. NOTHING has changed and it is the most remote likelihood of any visa being required.

This was a non-binding vote to express frustration with US policy.

The EU is not about to close its borders with the US.

Sleep soundly and enjoy your trip.

Think about the impact of the EU actually going through with requiring visas for Americans to visit Europe. The US would undoubtedly retaliate with a similar visa requirement for Europeans. Right now almost 450 million European can travel freely to the US. How are the French, Germans, and Spanish going to like having visa restrictions put on them because Romanians and Bulgarians can't travel as freely.

I certainly hope that this is is "Much Ado About Nothing", however, I was looking at what it takes to get a short-term Schengen visa for non-waivered nationals, and it involves applications, appointments at the closest consulate (in my instance, Chicago, 2 hours away), filing fees, purchasing insurance, bank statements, and passport photos. If this happens, I sure hope we're told in time to get this done.

I think that UK visitors already have to apply for authorization to come to the US via the ESTA. I should ask my colleagues about this. It's all insane! I've travel to the UK and Europe and the only time I've needed a visa was my student visa when I stayed for six months in Germany and the durch visa had to get to travel by train from Germany through Yugoslavia to Greece.

It's like we're stepping back in time.

There are almost 40 countries that are eligible for the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization). It consists of filling out a form online and paying a $14 fee. That is a lot less difficult than what residents of the five EU countries not on the list have to do. If the EU established a similar system (to ESTA) for US entrants to Europe, I wouldn't be upset, but that is not what they are threatening to do. They want to make entrance to Schengen as difficult for Americans as entering the US is for Polish, Bulgarian, or Romanian citizens.

I have no problem paying a fee, however, my trip leaves May 10. It better not be a long process otherwise I can't go. Already, I have cut down my trip to Switzerland(from originally visiting various countries) and postponed making alll transport and hotel arrangements until I hear more. This trip was a "fly by your pants" and "only going because I found a fantastic airfare" Personally, they already lost money from me since unless I hear anything soon, I will just get a SwissPass when I arrive and tour the trains in Switzerland instead of doing a multi-country stint to taste the food and experience the culture. Poland, Lithuania, Hungary, Croatia and various airlines just lost out and lost my money.(Although they probably don't care as I am just one person)

Do NOT make any changes to your trip because of this. IF (and that is a big "IF") anything happens it will take many months, if not over a year, to be implemented. You have absolutely nothing to worry about for your trip in July. I would be willing to make reservations for July 2018.

The EU has, on occassion, replaced existing laws in member countries with their own rules/edicts. I was doing an exchange with the German Air Force when the EU told Germany it had to change it's Constitution to allow women in combat. In this case, it would be overriding Schengen. When the EU overrides member states laws/Constitutions, they give ammunition to the parties who want to withdraw from the EU. A fair number of European citizens aren't happy when the EU treats them with a heavy-hand. I think they should be careful, there are a lot of exit candidates polling well around Europe right now.

The European Commission decided on Tuesday not to start requiring Americans to obtain visas for travel to the European Union. Right now, United States citizens generally do not need visas to enter any of the union’s 28 member nations, but citizens of five of those nations — Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania — need visas to travel to the United States.

NY Times - May 2, 2017

People forget that the U.S. is one country. The EU is made up of several countries. The U.S. decides on a country to country basis which ones need visas and which ones don't. It does not have to abide by EU rules.

On the contrary, EU countries have elected to go by EU rules in terms of visas for visitors. Forcing Americans to get visas to visit any country in the EU would mean the U.S. would then say citizens of ALL countries in the EU would need to get visas. It would be a mess.

People need to calm down. People need to stop reading stuff and then freaking out.

Is there any law in the EU requiring citizens of countries outside the EU to be treated equally by all EU countries ?

Specifically, of the five countries in question, only Poland is a member of Schengen. The other four are not. Currently, the other four don't require visas for American to visit, but if they decided to, would the EU tell them that they have to go by the same rules as Schengen countries?

And I agree with Frank II, if this escalates, will almost 150 million Germans and French appreciate having to go through a complex process to get a US visa because 75 million Romanians, Bulgarians, etc have to? Yeah, all Europeans will be treated equally, but it might not be the equality they wanted.

From the NYT "E.U. Sets Aside Calls to End Visa-Free Travel for Americans"
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/02/world/europe/eu-visas-united-states.html?module=WatchingPortal&region=c-column-middle-span-region&pgType=Homepage&action=click&mediaId=thumb_square&state=standard&contentPlacement=8&version=internal&contentCollection=www.nytimes.com&contentId=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2017%2F05%2F02%2Fworld%2Feurope%2Feu-visas-united-states.html&eventName=Watching-article-click

I read that part of the reason those 5 countries are singled out is that they have higher than average Visa overstay rates, which they need to bring down first. Then there are other homeland security risk-based factors. I was surprised Poland was on that list, but I learn something new every day. I don't think there's any chance the other 4 countries would entertain putting up barriers to entry in the form of Visas - they are struggling economically and could use tourist money (although few Americans travel there to begin with, that's no reason to make it worse...it would be a losing proposition).

I always knew that visa requirement for Americans going to EU would not happen and the reason is exactly in the statement of EU committee: "would be counterproductive at this moment" (and any other - my addition), "and would not serve the objective of achieving visa-free travel for all EU citizens."
And the committee is absolutely right because if they would impose visa on EU citizens going to US, US would impose visa on all EU citizens, not just 5 countries and everybody would lose, the most businesses which are connected to tourism.

If the EU requires US citizens to show visas, the world will be ending sooner than you file your travel insurance claim.

In the cold war days I went to France in 1987. France required a visa from Americans when no other country in western Europe did so, not Italy, Denmark, (West) Germany, Belgium, Spain, Sweden, etc So, I got a visa from the French Consulate in SF, it might have been the same in 1984 on that trip too. I need to look at my passport, but definitely in 1987 there was a French visa requirement before my entering the country.

Fred, did US require visa from French then?

According to this article the visa requirement was from Sep 1986 to Dec 1988. Another from Sep 1986.

@ Ilja...The visitors from France and Germany I met in SF during the 1970s and '80s all told me me that the US required a visa from them coming here as regular tourists. Some told me the questions the US asked them when they went to apply for the visa, such as "have you been or are you a member of the Communist Party?" None of them was but it was that question in particular that they found to be ludicrous. When I mentioned to a French woman visitor in 1987 that France now slapped a visa on Americans going to France (I was putting together my Europe trip then), unlike any other western European country then, she just saw as no big deal and said, " well, you do it us." Hearing that I had to concede the point.

From Sept 1986 to Dec 1988....that sounds about right. I didn't go in 1986 and did not go over in the summer of 1988. That mandatory French visa I got was for the summer trip of 1987.

In the cold war days the only European countries having a mandatory visa requirement from Americans were the Soviet bloc countries since this visa requirement was a source of hard currency., until France started the mandatory visa requirement. No other west European country followed suit.

I am currently visiting Paris for 2 weeks with my kids and we went to London this week and back. There was no mention of a Visa being required.

So can we still go to Europe?

So can we still go to Europe?

That's up to you. As to whether you might need a visa in future years, unlikely unless Mr T imposes restrictions on more EU nationalities, then the tit-for-tat could escalate.

If there is anything in the future that presents an obstacle to going to Europe, it won't be the visa issue for me. I went when the visa was imposed in 1987, I'm going with no visa imposed.

morvegil; you were bored, weren't you? Well done.

I'll continue to go to Europe as long as I can or until there is a direct order prohibiting me from going. Until then the visa issue is no issue...totally irrelevant.

So why revive this old post about a non-issue?

OP says they go for their trip in July 2017 so they are very probably already in Europe and without visa. So I was right (and many others) when we said: It's not going to happen.

Exactly, I left in May, returned in July, no concerns on the visa....much ado about nothing. I wonder if Japanese tourists need a visa for the UK or the Schengen zone.

Posted by Roberto da Firenze
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
03/03/17 12:13 PM
8798 posts
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If the want it to make truly based on reciprocity they should require a visa only on Americans who reside in some States, not all of the US.
I doubt that is going to happen. But if the Trump administration continues what is doing to Europeans, then they might.

Which states might this be that shouldbe required to obtain visas? California and New York, right?

If the want it to make truly based on reciprocity they should require a visa only on Americans who reside in some States, not all of the US.

But, AFAIK, the state of residence is not shown on US passports. They could do it by place of birth (which is on passports, but does it give the state?). Or do it like some cities do to keep cars out. All passports with numbers ending 1 or 2. Or all birth dates 1st to 5th of the month.

Chris, the point was that perhaps requiring visas as a form of political retaliation should not be applied to residents of states that did not elect the current administration, in which case it would be more than just CA and NY. In any case, that was a bluff by the EU and they're not required, so end of story.

"So why revive this old post about a non-issue?"

I saw that this thread had been bumped up much earlier this morning. But there was no post from today - the last post was in June.. I think there must have been a spam post that was deleted. Then others posted, not noticing that this is an old and outdated thread.

There was a spam post, telling what countries you could go to without a visa. From a 1st time poster and with a link. It got reported as spam and got removed.

In any case, that was a bluff by the EU and they're not required, so end of story.
No it is absolutely not the end of the story! It is the beginning of the story - it may take a few years to reach a conclusion but eventually the US will either comply or visa restrictions will be applied. Unfortunately the EU's desire to seek to always seek a compromise is often seen as a weakness, but eventually when they have exhausted all possibilities they will act. They always do.

The first step has been taken, the Parliament has instructed the Commission to get the situation sorted out or else plan for the introduction of visa restrictions. The Commission believe they will be able to reach an agreement with the US and they have now been given time to do so. And so we will have to see what happens next.

OK, again: implementing visa requirement for Americans going to Europe is not going to happen for reasons I already mentioned above. There will be just talk about that.

According to my passport, it is issued to me by the United States of America, because I am a citizen of the United States. I happen to be living in Colorado, but I am still a citizen of the U.S.

Colorado is a state, not a country. Romania is a country. Do citizens of Romania have European Union passports? If the EU won't recognize everyone in the EU the same for passports, why should we have to recognize them as the same for entry.

The European Union countries have 28 seats in the United Nations. Should that be cut that to one seat for the EU, or should we have 50, one for every state?

As for requiring visas from all US citizens, by reciprocity, we should require visas from all EU citizens. How will French and Germans, who now can come to the US without visas feel about being required to get visas because the Romanians have to.

yay - this question has now reached the magic 50 posts! A small, relatively exclusive club.

I think they should have 50 seats.

Much like a British Passport which is definitely British but also seen (at the moment) as EU, the same is the case for all member states. There is no actual EU passport.

There is a visa war going on.....

Visa declares war on cash

Frank that is interesting and would be a good thread in and of itself. (I Probably dont want to hijack thia one....)

Do citizens of Romania have European Union passports? If the EU won't recognize everyone in the EU the same for passports, why should we have to recognize them as the same for entry.

Lee, yes. Passports from all European Union countries say European Union on them.
The issue is with Poland and Romania, The USA demands visas from Polish citizens. But Poland is in the Schengen Area. It is physically not possible to demand visas from US (or any other) citizens entering Poland only, because there are no border checks on intra-Schengen borders. They have to require visas for all Schengen countries, or for none. On the principle of "one for all and all for none", and reciprocity, if you don't let our people in without a visa, we won't let yours in without one. Same principle applies worldwide.

This is one of these disputes which will run and run. But, eventually something will have to be done. Parliament will keep pushing the EU commissioners, who will keep trying to persuade the USA, until something happens.

The EU is not a United States of Europe. It is a highly advanced and integrated free trade and treaty area. Just as no US passport has a NAFTA stamp on it, so why should there be a EU passport. Maybe, in the future, the EU, maybe with fewer members will become a United States of Europe, but I think we are a long way from that.

But, in fact, there IS an EU passport which is issued by individual member countries. Maroon cover for all EU countries. I just looked at one issued to a German citizen which says on the cover "Europaische Union" and in the line below it "Bundesrepublik Deutschland"

In the 1970s and 1980s the French and West Germans had to have visas to come to the US. I met a few of them then in SF. They hit me with a visa, as was the case in 1987 with my trip to France, no big deal,... bottom line, I still will be going over period.

The crux of the issue is if Americans are slapped with a visa to visit the EU countries, would you still go? Would it even make a difference in the travel plans?

Even if they do institute a visa policy for US citizens, it won't be a big complicated process like getting a visa to go to China. It will be a small fee and special stamp you pay at the border. A minor inconvenience, nothing more.