• @Ecology8622@lemmy.ml
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    1 year ago

    I’m guessing because of migration. More USA citizens want to leave the US and overstay in the EU. This way its a bit more tedious and easier to track.

    • BraveSirZaphod
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      151 year ago

      It’s just part of a larger expansion of a program that simply happens to include Americans. I really don’t think they care about us that much; we’re not that special.

    • @krische@lemmy.world
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      91 year ago

      Seems like it’s more so covering the costs of doing automated background checks or something like that. Like making sure you aren’t on any bad lists so they can prevent you from arriving instead of having to deal with you when you’re already there.

      It’s not technically a visa, Americans are still granted that upon arrival it seems.

    • @JCPhoenix@beehaw.org
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      31 year ago

      No, it’s a diplomatic tit-for-tat. Even though the EU and US have visa-free travel, the US imposed the ESTA on travelers from the EU (and elsewhere I’m assuming) some years ago. It’s a not a traditional visa, it’s a “Travel Authorization.” And it costs money to apply for one. It’s not expensive, nor hard to get, and it lasts a few years, I think, but from the EU perspective, why should their citizens have to pay for an ESTA to the US, while US citizens can travel to the EU for free? So the EU is finally retaliating by leveling the playing field and imposing an ESTA on American travelers.