Travellers that are currently able to visit EU Schengen countries without a visa, will not need to apply for ETIAS until 2024. However, other travellers requiring a Schengen Visa to visit Europe for tourism, business or transit purposes will be unaffected by ETIAS. You can find out if you will need to apply for ETIAS by completing the form below.
Continue reading below the form if you have any questions about the ETIAS
Get updates on the ETIAS launch date and new requirements
What is ETIAS?
ETIAS stands for the European Travel Information and Authorization System, a travel security program. Based on its American equivalent ETAS, ETIAS conducts background checks on applicants to identify potential security risks entering Europe’s external borders.
Utilizing criminal records and security databases from European criminal justice institutions Europol and Interpol, the ETIAS creates a security network that keeps European citizens and visitors safe.
The ETIAS is an electronic visa waiver for citizens of select visa-exempt countries; it is not a visa. Meeting ETIAS requirements means you do not need a visa to enter participating nations. If you do not have an approved ETIAS travel authorization or do not qualify for ETIAS enrollment, you can still acquire a Schengen visa to visit.
Why was ETIAS created?
Effective border security requires collaboration between different European countries. The ETIAS promotes a cohesive border security policy between participating European nations by creating a single travel authorization system.
Travel between Schengen Area countries may not require border checks. The ETIAS utilizes a unified authorization system for international travellers entering the Schengen Zone, ensuring stronger European border control.
To create a safer travel environment, select visa-free travellers may be required to fill out an ETIAS application form to enter to mitigate potential security, health, and migration risks.
What European will countries require the ETIAS?
The countries that will require the ETIAS are primarily continental European countries that share a border and are co-signers of the Schengen Agreement.
Several European nations signed the first Schengen Agreement in 1989. It established a freedom of movement zone between the participating nations by removing travel restrictions. Schengen member countries do not require passports for border crossings.
Currently, there are 26 countries in the Schengen Area:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
These countries will require ETIAS approval to enter because they are passport-free zones. ETIAS approval of visa-free international travellers ensures they have been prescreened and deemed to pose no security risk.
There are also three other countries that are not part of the Schengen Area, yet will partcipate in the ETIAS. These are Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania.
Learn more about the Schengen Agreement and how it may affect your European travel plans.
What visa-exempt countries need ETIAS?
The European Union does not require visas from select countries; they are categorized as third country nationals.
When ETIAS comes into effect, third country nationals will need to pass the ETIAS pre-screening checks to book travel to participating European nations.
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldava
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- United Arab Emirate
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Venezuela
When do you need to have ETIAS?
The ETIAS is officially scheduled to come online in 2024. Once initiated, there will be a 180-day period of grace.
Non-EU visa-free travellers requiring approval in the new ETIAS system will have the opportunity to fill out an ETIAS application form. The six-month grace period will also provide European travel authorities ample time to be sufficiently trained on new protocols and a vetting period wherein technical issues with the system can be identified.
Once the six-month grace period has expired, all third-country nationals will require ETIAS approval.
What will I be asked on the ETIAS application form?
As a pre-screening check, the ETIAS online application form will ask for basic personal details to establish your identity.
This will include:
- Valid passport / Travel document information
- Full name
- Current address
- Citizenship status
- Sex
- Preferred gender
- Dual citizenship status
- Email address
- Telephone number
- Date of birth
- Final destination member state
- Educational background
- Occupational background
During the ETIAS application or appeal process, you may be asked about your:
- Criminal history
- Past incarceration
- Felon status
- Past European travel
- Drug use
- Health history
How much does it cost to submit an ETIAS application form?
The ETIAS application process requires an application fee of 7 (EUR) euros. Payment is required to complete the application process. ETIAS will only accept electronic payments from your debit or credit card.
Once payment is completed, most applicants will receive an approval within minutes. An approved ETIAS visa waiver will be valid for three consecutive years upon issuance.
Apply for ETIAS approval to ensure you can include your favorite European destinations in your travel plans.
Sources
Official ESTA Application | U.S. Customs and Border Protection
War Spurs EU To Bring Croatia Into Passport-Free Schengen Zone | Bloomberg