Mission’s students might need to get a visa
Jazmyne Boozer, Staff Writer
Photo Courtesy of Unsplash
The European Parliament has passed a non-binding resolution calling for all American travelers to purchase visas for their stay in another country.
Usually Americans have the privilege of travelling without a visa. This resolution will affect European tourism and trans-Atlantic travel. This is part of an ongoing “visa-war” between Brussels and Washington, D.C.
Although the resolution has passed it is currently non-binding. However, the E.U. justice system will re-evaluate the case in two months in order to implement the resolution.
This vote is in retaliation to the United States as it has failed to allow visa-free travel from five other countries within the European Union. The U.S. is not alone as Canada, Japan, Brunei, and Australia have also failed in reciprocating visa-free travel to some countries within the E.U.
The European Parliament has threatened to take the European Commission to court if it continues to allow Americans to get away with traveling without a visa. This is an important political step as it confronts the new Trump Administration at the beginning of his leadership.
European officials in Brussels are hesitating in making it more difficult for Americans to travel as they feel it will affect European tourism. Currently, Spain has the highest numbers of tourism nights with a whopping 260 million people per year. This number will significantly decrease if Americans are required to attain visas for stays.
Passports generally cost around $140 for both the passport book and the card. By adding a visa, the cost could increase significantly depending on which country one wants to travel to. For example, for a U.S. citizen to travel to Cambodia, the visa would cost $25. However, the prices could skyrocket. For example, it costs a British traveler £80 to attain a visa.
The Trump Administration is currently trying to resolve this conflict by allowing visa-free travel to all countries within the E.U.
