SURVEY: US Citizens will need a visa for EU -- Right or Wrong?

[Scott]

The EU has recently announced that it will require US Citizens to have a visa for travel in the EU.   Which of the following options best describes your opinion of this move?

 

Please feel free to leave a comment.

 

Here's from the CNN report:

 

On the ETIAS website, the European Union said it "has recently decided to improve their security level to avoid any further problems with illegal migration and terrorism."

The United States has been in a dispute with the EU's European Parliament and European Commission over visas for Bulgaria, Croatia, Poland, Romania and Cyprus. Travelers in those five countries are the only EU nations that the US requires to apply for a visa.

In 2016, the European Commission first released a report calling for the U.S. to grant the same visa-free status to those five countries as the other 23 EU nations in exchange for U.S. citizens maintaining the same visa-free status in the Schengen Area. EU rules require equal treatment for all member states.

 

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/us-citizens-need-visas-to-visit-europe-in-2021

 

[Chomper Higgot]

The US makes citizens of some EU member states dance through hoops to get a visa.

 

The EU responds in unison.

 

 

That’s exactly how to deal with bullies.

[Samui Bodoh]

It seems that if one country of similar development levels forces another country of similar development levels to get visas, then reciprocal action isn't unreasonable.

 

In the larger picture...

 

Rising Nationalism. "Us" versus "Them". Tit for tat petty measures. A negative focus on immigrants. A devaluing of institutions. Identity politics at its worse. Loss of trust in leadership. A desire to 'strengthen' national borders. Etc. Etc. Etc.

 

This one, small action has few consequences in and of itself; it just causes inconvenience for all. In the bigger picture, it is another indicator that the tides of history are traveling in a very dangerous direction.

 

As a child, I thought the future was a wonderful, glorious road to a better world. Now, I am not so sure...

 

 

[samran]

It is a e-visa very similar to ones issues by countries like the Us and Australia to travellers from ‘safe’ countries. Done online and it is usually approved in a matter of moments following your name being checked against a variety of security databases.

 

Much ado about nothing..

Edited March 10, 2019 by samran

[Becker]

The mods should update the thread. It is not a visa at all but an authorization system. 

 

From the corrected CNN article:

"Correction: An earlier version of this story mis-characterized the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) as a visa. It is an authorization system."

[CALSinCM]

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

It seems that if one country of similar development levels forces another country of similar development levels to get visas, then reciprocal action isn't unreasonable.

 

In the larger picture...

 

Rising Nationalism. "Us" versus "Them". Tit for tat petty measures. A negative focus on immigrants. A devaluing of institutions. Identity politics at its worse. Loss of trust in leadership. A desire to 'strengthen' national borders. Etc. Etc. Etc.

 

This one, small action has few consequences in and of itself; it just causes inconvenience for all. In the bigger picture, it is another indicator that the tides of history are traveling in a very dangerous direction.

 

As a child, I thought the future was a wonderful, glorious road to a better world. Now, I am not so sure...

 

 

Personally, I feel that the US should treat the spouses of US citizens that same way as Thailand treats us. Example:

A foreign women marrying a Thai man can apply for citizenship three years after being married.
A foreign man marrying a Thai women has to apply for yearly extensions based on marriage as well as report their address to immigration every 90 days. 

 

So the US should reciprocate:
A Thai women marrying a US man can apply for citizenship three years after being married.
A Thai man marrying a US women has to apply for yearly extensions based on marriage as well as report their address to immigration every 90 days. 

[metisdead]

Some troll posts and the replies have been removed. 

[klauskunkel]

10 hours ago, Scott said:

The EU has recently announced that it will require US Citizens to have a visa for travel in the EU.  

No visa required for US Citizens to travel in Germany (which is part of the EU). You can see that on the Foreign Ministry's website:

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/visabestimmungen-node/staatenlistevisumpflicht-node

[bristolboy]

6 minutes ago, CALSinCM said:

Personally, I feel that the US should treat the spouses of US citizens that same way as Thailand treats us. Example:

A foreign women marrying a Thai man can apply for citizenship three years after being married.
A foreign man marrying a Thai women has to apply for yearly extensions based on marriage as well as report their address to immigration every 90 days. 

 

So the US should reciprocate:
A Thai women marrying a US man can apply for citizenship three years after being married.
A Thai man marrying a US women has to apply for yearly extensions based on marriage as well as report their address to immigration every 90 days. 

You mean punish Americans for the sins of Thailand? Policies based on spitefulness rarely make sense.

[Nyezhov]

8 million or so Euros incoming $10 a pop? Nice chunk of change.

[avvocato]

MISINFORMATION (or fake news, if you prefer). The EU is not proposing a "VISA" but rather a European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS, that will require pre-travel screening for security and migration risks of travelers benefiting from visa-free access to the Schengen area.  Visa-free travelers, including US citizens, will need to request ETIAS authorization before visiting the Schengen Area. They can complete an application and pay a service fee of 7 euros online. The authorization is valid for three years. Completing the online application should not take more than 10 minutes with automatic approval being given in over 95% of cases, according to the European Commission.  The United States has a similar system called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA. So its just tit for tat.

 

[Basil B]

2 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

8 million or so Euros incoming $10 a pop? Nice chunk of change.

Hardly going to buy many bricks for that wall. 

[Sydebolle]

Kindergarten - we are used to such nonsense in Asia and I sincerely hope that Europe is a little more advanced as far as bureaucracy is concerned.

Getting the americans to apply for a Schengen visa is nothing but rattling the cage - unnecessarily! 

[gjoo888]

1 hour ago, avvocato said:

MISINFORMATION (or fake news, if you prefer). The EU is not proposing a "VISA" but rather a European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS, that will require pre-travel screening for security and migration risks of travelers benefiting from visa-free access to the Schengen area.  Visa-free travelers, including US citizens, will need to request ETIAS authorization before visiting the Schengen Area. They can complete an application and pay a service fee of 7 euros online. The authorization is valid for three years. Completing the online application should not take more than 10 minutes with automatic approval being given in over 95% of cases, according to the European Commission.  The United States has a similar system called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA. So its just tit for tat.

 

The story was widespread in the US press today, and you're spot on. It is not a visa, and similar to ESTA. CNN got the story wrong and initially did say that it was a visa that would be required, which also was the subject of one article I read on the subject.

[bristolboy]

27 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

Kindergarten - we are used to such nonsense in Asia and I sincerely hope that Europe is a little more advanced as far as bureaucracy is concerned.

Getting the americans to apply for a Schengen visa is nothing but rattling the cage - unnecessarily! 

It's the Americans who rattled first.

[abrahamzvi]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The US makes citizens of some EU member states dance through hoops to get a visa.

 

The EU responds in unison.

 

 

That’s exactly how to deal with bullies.

 

What you are saying here is incorrect. As stated above only nationals of few EU countries need visas for the US. What is needed is a security clearance every two years, which is applied and granted online and carries a minimal fee.

I understand that the EU will adopt a similar procedure as from 2021. Therefore the talk about visas for US nationals for the Schengen EU countries is incorrect, and the heading of the survey is misleading.

[elgenon]

2 hours ago, CALSinCM said:

Personally, I feel that the US should treat the spouses of US citizens that same way as Thailand treats us. Example:

A foreign women marrying a Thai man can apply for citizenship three years after being married.
A foreign man marrying a Thai women has to apply for yearly extensions based on marriage as well as report their address to immigration every 90 days. 

 

So the US should reciprocate:
A Thai women marrying a US man can apply for citizenship three years after being married.
A Thai man marrying a US women has to apply for yearly extensions based on marriage as well as report their address to immigration every 90 days. 

That isn't the case now for women?

[kingstonkid]

To be honest every country should require an ETIAS for everyone wanting to travel to their country.  It actually makes sense in today's day and age.

[zydeco]

No desire to go to Yorup anymore. Sort of boring. As an American, I prefer Central and South America and the South Pacific.

[EVENKEEL]

4 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The US makes citizens of some EU member states dance through hoops to get a visa.

 

The EU responds in unison.

 

 

That’s exactly how to deal with bullies.

Don't really care.

[Jingthing]

2 hours ago, Becker said:

The mods should update the thread. It is not a visa at all but an authorization system. 

 

From the corrected CNN article:

"Correction: An earlier version of this story mis-characterized the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) as a visa. It is an authorization system."

Totally agree.

It is not a visa.

So no vote from me.

 

[Srikcir]

Is this survey using a duplicate count?

• I disagree, it is a bad move by the EU.
• I disagree and think the US should require a visa for EU citizens.

US retaliation is not part of the question. It might be a subset of the first "disagree" but not treated as an equal component of the whole 100% of vote options. Furthermore, a person can disagree with the EU decision but also disagree with US retaliation.

[Jonah Tenner]

2 hours ago, klauskunkel said:

No visa required for US Citizens to travel in Germany (which is part of the EU). You can see that on the Foreign Ministry's website:

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/visabestimmungen-node/staatenlistevisumpflicht-node

Yet.

[GalaxyMan]

1 hour ago, Sydebolle said:

Getting the americans to apply for a Schengen visa is nothing but rattling the cage - unnecessarily! 

Nonsense. It's the perfect response/reaction to Trump's idiocy. ????

[skatewash]

Wow, the media has completely screwed this up with their "reporting."  Grossly misleading; little better than click-bait.  First, not a visa, but a travel authorization.  A travel authorization just like that long required of all visitors eligible for visa waived entry to the US (since 2009), Canada, and Australia.  Second it applies to the US and about 59 other countries in the world (for some reason the second part of this sentence doesn't get reported).  Here's an article that at least tries to correct some of the misinformation being pushed by CNN, Politico and other "news" organizations:

 

https://loyaltylobby.com/2019/03/09/visa-waiver-eligible-travelers-going-to-europe-schengen-countries-will-require-etias-electronic-travel-authorization-from-2021/

Edited March 10, 2019 by skatewash

[zydeco]

2 minutes ago, Donaldo said:

The US normally doesn't  bother with visas or other requirements. They normally just invade places.

Let's see the last time the US invaded Yorup it was at places like Normandy. Agree. Wish we had never done that and let Yorup solve its own problems. Frankly, wish we would cancel Nato, pull out of all Yorup, and encourage the EU to put all the onerous visa requirements it wants. Yorup just a place of cold, wet, nasty weather and not worth bothering with.

[skatewash]

The poll is impossible to answer because it assumes US citizens will need visas to visit the EU countries which is not the case.  Poorly worded poll that has no basis in reality.  It needs another option:  "This poll is complete nonsense."  That option would have gotten my vote.

[bristolboy]

2 minutes ago, skatewash said:

The poll is impossible to answer because it assumes US citizens will need visas to visit the EU countries which is not the case.  Poorly worded poll that has no basis in reality.  It needs another option:  "This poll is complete nonsense."  That option would have gotten my vote.

CNN made the correction was made after the poll was posted. 

[bristolboy]

9 minutes ago, skatewash said:

Wow, the media has completely screwed this up with their "reporting."  Grossly misleading.  Little better than click-bait.  First, not a visa, but a travel authorization just like visitors to the US (since 2009), Canada, and Australia have long required of visitors to their countries eligible for entry on a visa waived basis.  Second it applies to the US and about 59 other countries in the world (for some reason the second part of this sentence doesn't get reported).  Here's an article that at least tries to correct some of the misinformation being pushed by CNN, Politico and other "news" organizations:

 

https://loyaltylobby.com/2019/03/09/visa-waiver-eligible-travelers-going-to-europe-schengen-countries-will-require-etias-electronic-travel-authorization-from-2021/

So, you're saying that this information is useless for American citizens because of a misnomer? The fact is that it's something new that Americans will have to do to gain access to the Schengen Area.  In fact, it's an unusually useful piece of news. Something that Americans thinking of traveling to Europe need to know. 

[skatewash]

4 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

CNN made the correction was made after the poll was posted. 

And for that reason the poll should be withdrawn and the thread closed.  As it currently stands the poll has as much probative value as the following:

Pick one:
o  Yes, I think I should stop beating my wife.
o  No, I don't think I should stop beating my wife.

when, in point of fact, no wife-beating has occurred, is occurring, or is planned to occur.