September/October 2024
www.nitravelnews.com
CONTENTS | 3
THE EU’S NEW ETIAS AND BIOMETRIC ENTRY- EXIT SYSTEM EXPLAINED
...continued from Pg. 1
Page 14: Heidi McAlpin and family take to the road for a history- steeped two-week roadtrip through England
Page 20: Our
competition winner headed to Hong Kong for a fascinating 6 day adventure
Page 28-30: From
Verbier to Zermatt, St Moritz and beyond...
Page 44-47: Erin English and Christine McCleery share their thoughts on Virgin Scarlet Lady
It registers travellers from third countries. This system will track individuals as they either enter or exit at an external Schengen border, such as flying from the UK to Spain or driving from Greece to Turkey. It will not be utilised at internal borders within the Schengen Area. British travellers, like other “third-country nationals,” are allowed to stay for up to 90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen Area. The new system will not be applicable in Ireland or Cyprus, meaning citizens of these countries will not need to take any additional steps when crossing the Schengen Area border. Instead, they will simply continue to be verified against their passport or ID
card. Therefore,
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any British traveller fortunate enough to hold an Irish (or other EU) passport will not be required to register. Both inbound and outbound passengers must complete the necessary formalities at airports, land borders, and ports within the Schengen Area upon arrival and departure. In the UK, there are three locations with “juxtaposed” border controls, where French border police conduct checks on British territory - these include the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, and the Eurostar hub at London St Pancras. During the initial registration, travellers
are required to undergo fingerprint checks and provide a facial biometric. For subsequent visits within three years, only one of these checks is needed, with the facial biometric being the practical choice. Each new visit extends the passport’s validity for another three years, until it is no longer valid for travel to the EU, either on its
Belfast City Airport Helps Local Projects Take Flight
BELFAST City Airport’s Community Fund is now open for applications across Belfast, Ards and North Down until 30th September 2024.
Belfast City Airport’s Community Fund, designed to provide funding to projects that have a positive impact in the local area, is now open for applications.
The Community Fund, which has
been providing financial support to community-based initiatives for 15 years, is available for schools, sports teams, community centres, charities, educational campaigns, and much more. Michelle Hatfield, Chief People and Marketing Officer at Belfast City Airport, said: “At Belfast City Airport, we pride ourselves on being in the heart of the city and at the heart of our community. “Our Community Fund, which is celebrating its 15-year milestone this year, has played a significant role in supporting projects that create prosperity and enrich the lives of those in the place we call home. “As a responsible neighbour, we are committed to making a difference by providing financial assistance to those that align with our vision for a
sustainable future, enabling us to care and thrive as a community.” Since its inception in 2009, Belfast City Airport has supported 212 projects with over £580,000 of funding across various initiatives in Greater Belfast and North Down.
Recent projects include the funding of a forest school space to Kings Road Nursery, the donation of innovative STEM technology to Royal Air Force Cadets’ Astra Programme, and the supply of life-saving defibrillator equipment to St John’s Camogie Club. Michelle continued, “Our ties to the community are deep rooted, and we would encourage all eligible groups to apply before the closing date of 30th September. “Together we can foster change and create a tangible, lasting impact.”
10th anniversary or when there are less than three months left before the expiration date. A new biometric registration is necessary
when you begin using a new passport - this includes a passport renewal. Officially, the ETIAS is not a ‘visa’, with Europe describing its as “a pre-travel authorisation system.” This concept is akin to the US ESTA, the Canadian eTA, and the British ETA, none of which are technically classified as visas. These authorisations are granted to international travellers who do not need a full visa. However, since ETIAS necessitates that visitors apply ahead of time, provide extensive personal information, pay a fee, and receive a permit to cross a border, it is understandable why many refer to it as a “eurovisa.” The application
fee is €7 (£6) for all individuals aged 18 to 70. However, those who are under 18 or over 70 must also apply for an Etias, which will be free of charge.
When ETIAS is live,
travellers will be required to submit personal information including
name,
address, contact details in Europe and passport data. They must also state an occupation (with job title and employer). Students must give the name of their educational establishment. The applicant must give details of any serious convictions in the past 20 years. Travellers must also provide online the reason for their journey (holiday, business, visiting family, etc), specify the country they will first arrive in, and provide the address of their first night’s stay – which will pose a problem for tourists who like to make plans as they go along. Applications will be checked against
EU and Interpol databases, as well as “a dedicated ETIAS watch-list” in a system
design to identify individuals suspected of being involved in terrorism, armed robbery, child pornography, fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, people smuggling, trafficking in endangered animals, counterfeiting and industrial espionage.
Those who are denied an ETIAS and feel it is a case of mistaken identity have the right to appeal. Details of this will be included with the notice of rejection. Travellers are being urged to only apply
for an ETIAS through official government channels as numerous scam websites exist that may charge fees significantly higher than the standard €7 (£6). There is also a potential risk of identity theft is personal information is shred with these scam websites. Any website other than
europa.eu/etias
is unofficial and should be approached with caution. The European Union advises: “We strongly recommend obtaining the ETIAS travel authorisation before purchasing your tickets and booking your accommodations. “The goal is for an ETIAS approval to be issued within minutes; however, even a simple application may take up to four days. “If an application raises any flags (meaning
there is a “hit” in one of the databases), the applicant might be required to provide further information. The EU also states that the applicant could be asked “to participate in an interview with national authorities, which may take an additional 30 days. “If your application is approved, no certificate will be issued, and there’s no need to print anything. The border guard will obtain all necessary information from the passport used during the application process. “UK citizens will not require an ETIAS to travel within the Common Travel Area including the UK, Republic of Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands.”
NI CHILDREN TO LAPLAND & DAYS TO REMEMBER TRUST BRINGS DISNEYLAND PARIS TO LIFE FOR 20 BRAVE CHILDREN
A GROUP of 44 people, including local health professionals, parents,
and
20 children with life- limiting or life- threatening conditions,
embarked on a magical trip to Disneyland Paris last weekend, thanks to the Northern Ireland Children to Lapland and Days to Remember Trust (NICLT).
This special journey, which
resumed last year after a break due to Covid, offered two days filled with unforgettable Disney magic. With the support of doctors and nurses from Causeway Hospital, along with NICLT General Manager Fiona Williamson and board member Anna Kayes, the trip was meticulously planned to provide a worry-free experience for the families. The charity’s initiative allows these deserving children and their families a much-needed escape from the daily struggles of managing serious health conditions.
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