Report: EU Considers Ending Visa-Free Travel For U.S. Citizens
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The European Union is reportedly threatening to end visa-free travel for U.S. citizens. The issue is a reciprocal visa waiver program that allows most, but not all, European citizens to visit the United States without a visa, and in turn allows Americans visa-free travel to Europe.
The report last Thursday by Reuters, citing a European Union source, says that it will consider the move Tuesday. That's because the U.S. was given two years to extend that waiver to all European countries; time is up on the April 12.
Atlas Travel's Suzanne Shank thinks a new visa requirement for European travel would likely backfire.
"It would be silly if they did," Shank says. "Let's face it, Italy, Spain, Greece should be kissing us for coming and spending our money there. Why are they going to make it more difficult? I don't think they will."
But even if the EU did agree to revoke the waiver, it would likely be many months before it could go into effect.
No matter what is decided, Americans would still enjoy visa-free travel to Ireland and the United Kingdom -- they've opted out of the European Union's visa policy.
