Politicians are at it again . . .

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/...d=ansmsnnews11

My understanding is that this is a boilerplate review. Hard to gin up alarm about it, if that's what you are tying to do.

Why not mention Canadians in your headline? It would make the situation clearer.

Sandralist. Got a burr in your britches, eh?

There's another thread on this. There's a niggle that people from some countries in the EU have to have visas for the USA and Canada, but others not. For those countries in Schengen, it's not possible to put on their own visa requirements, so to even up the playing field, either there's a visa requirement all round, or there's none.

I think all European countries's citizens need a visa to visit the USA, they mainly use the Visa Waver Programme which means they get the paper in the USA rather than have to apply in Europe. They still have to muck about with the paper system and the desk jockeys who lose things etc.

Of the European countries that require a visa two are Schengen so can't impose visas in return, and the others are candidates for Schengen, so would be reluctant to set up a visa system just to have to remove it in a year or two.

Visitors to the US from Visa Waiver countries have to apply for what is effectively an e-visa, and pay for it, ESTA.

A level playing field is required. Either all visas for EU/Schengen/US/Canada, or no visas, including ESTA, especially as you still have to give most of that information a second time. Otherwise maybe Schengen should also introduce an ESTA equivalent.

"A level playing field is required. Either all visas for EU/Schengen/US/Canada, or no visas, including ESTA, especially as you still have to give most of that information a second time. Otherwise maybe Schengen should also introduce an ESTA equivalent."

I totally agree.

The ESTA is fairly trouble-free, and is good for multiple entrances. You can fill out the forms online and the cost is reasonable. My husband has to have the ESTA to travel to the US, and has never considered it an imposition. It's only available to citizens of Visa-waiver countries, so it's not really a visa. I think it would be logical to require something similar for visits to Europe.

When the ESTA program was first initiated, for some reason we hadn't heard of it, and found out at the airport. I had to find a computer at Fiumicino airport, and the only one was some strange thing on a pole. We were able to apply for the ESTA, which was approved instantly, but we weren't able to print it, because the attached printer (which looked like a 1980s fax machine) didn't work. So we just wrote down the number and hoped it was all right. Nobody ever asked to see it, and nobody has ever asked since then. I assume they have it in their database and can see it when they scan your passport.

The EU is not going to complicate the process of Americans and Canadians visiting Europe and dropping millions (€) each year.

Bingo, Robert.