Gibraltar is considering joining the EU’s Schengen area in an effort to limit disruption caused by Brexit
Gibraltar’s leader Fabian Picardo noted that it did not make sense for Gibraltar to be cut off from the rest of Europe given its location on mainland. Joining join the full Schengen area would mean travellers from the UK would have to apply for a visa known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (“ETIAS”) to visit the territory after Brexit.
The EU plans to implement the ETIAS from 2021 which, once in force, would require non-EU visitors to Schengen countries to complete an application form and pay a nominal fee in order to visit in a system that is similar to the ESTA programme currently used in the US.
