$8, don’t break the bank on this one folks.
The visa, which will cost about $8, is similar to the one that European tourists are required to get when traveling to the U.S., which costs $21.
That’s quite the difference.
Presumably the devil is in the hassle entailed in acquiring it, rather than the monetary price. ie a cost of time and effort rather than money
Edit: also the entailed risk of not being approved, lack of transparency for any denials, etc
The risk of not being approved isn’t changing. The difference is that you can now find out before you buy a plane ticket and arrive in the EU.
Really? Looks like it’s just another approval hoop on top of the preexisting:
Arrival at border
Holding a valid ETIAS authorization does not mean you are guaranteed entry to a country. You will still have to meet the entry conditions of the border police. If you do not meet those requirements, you will be refused entry.