U.S. citizens will need visa to visit Europe in 2024 

American citizens will require a visa to travel to Europe beginning in 2024, The European Union announced this week. 

U.S. passport holders will need to get pre-approval by submitting an online application through the European Travel Information Authorization System (ETIAS) before buying plane tickets and lodging. The new visa process will cost applicants around $8. 

To get approved, applicants will need to provide travel information, such as their passport number and travel history, as well as personal information, including educational level and criminal background. Visitors will be able to fill out the application via the ETIAS website or application. 

The European Union is advising visitors to apply for the visa “well in advance.” While some applications will be processed within minutes, others might take between 14 and 30 days, depending on the circumstances, the entity said. 

Once the visa is authorized, it is valid for three years or until the individual’s passport expires, whichever comes first. It will allow travelers to visit 30 European countries. 

“With a valid ETIAS travel authorization, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays — normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period,” the EU’s website reads.

“However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.”

The European Union is expected to begin requiring visas as early as January 2024. However, experts believe it will take longer for the measure to go into effect. 

"It won't be complicated, it's just an annoyance," said CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg.

"Most Americans, in fact, all Americans, are not used to doing this to go to Europe so there's going to be lots of surprises at boarding gates with people being denied boarding over the first couple of weeks if this goes into effect."