Americans and Canadians will soon need something besides their passport if they want to visit most of Europe.
Beginning in 2024, travelers from more than 60 “visa-exempt” countries — including the U.S., Canada, UK, and Mexico — will need prior authorization under the European Union’s European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) to visit countries in the Schengen Area.
That area, made up of countries that have agreed to ease border restrictions so it’s easy for people to move around Europe, includes vacation hotspots such as France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Although some people have mistakenly referred to it as a “visa,” ETIAS is actually a travel authorization form.
“It’s definitely not a visa,” said Dan Hamilton, a senior non-resident fellow for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, according to WBUR, Boston’s National Public Radio station. “It’s an electronic entry-point, an authorization for countries that are currently visa-free.”
What’s more, even the European Commission pointedly said ETIAS is “not a visa.”
“The ETIAS will be an automated IT system created to identify any security or irregular migratory risks posed by visa-exempt visitors traveling to the Schengen Area, whilst at the same time facilitate crossing borders for the vast majority of travelers who do not pose such risks,” the European Commission explained.
Here’s what you need to know about ETIAS approval.
ETIAS Authorization Details
The good news if you’re planning a trip to Europe is that, while the ETIAS website notes that it will begin accepting applications in 2024, an exact date has not been specified.
When it does open, any national from the EU’s list of visa-exempt countries who wants to travel to the Schengen Area for a short-term stay must apply for ETIAS authorization.
A short-term stay is defined by the EU as a single stay or combination of stays up to 90 days that take place within a 180-day period.
To apply, prospective travelers will need to provide personal information that includes their full name, date of birth, nationality, address, parents’ names, email address, and phone number. As you may expect, the application will also ask for information about their current occupation as well as details about their intended travel and stays in EU countries.
Applicants must also include details about their passport and pay a fee of 7 euros, or roughly $8. This fee is waived for minors under 18 and those 70 and older.
Most applications should be processed within minutes of applying, according to the website. However, prospective travelers should allow up to 4 days to receive approval.
Finally, ETIAS approval will be valid for 3 years or until the passport it is registered to expires, whichever comes first.
Traveling With ETIAS Approval
As you would expect, travelers must be in possession of their ETIAS authorization throughout their entire stay in the EU.
Finally, while the authorization is necessary to enter countries in the Schengen Area, it does not guarantee entry at border control. Consequently, travelers must still abide by EU entry requirements, which include having a passport or other travel document that is valid for the duration of their stay and for at least 3 months afterward.
You can find all the details at the European Union’s official ETIAS website.
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