What is ETIAS?
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a visa waiver program that is expected to come into effect by November 2023. The aim of ETIAS Europe is to provide a more secure journey to EU member countries as well as to strengthen the borders of the Schengen Area by pre-checking the data of travellers before they enter the zone.
Citizens from over 50 eligible countries will need to complete the online application and obtain an approved ETIAS visa waiver before entering any of the Schengen countries, including also countries joining in a near future such us Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. The program will be very similar to the ESTA visa waiver that many nationalities need to obtain before travelling to the US.
The ETIAS visa waiver will allow eligible visitors to enter the Schengen Area for short-term stays of up to 90 days for tourism, transit or business. Travellers can move freely between the Schengen countries as there are no internal hard borders within the zone.
ETIAS EU is considered to be a visa waiver program, which means ETIAS is not a visa. Also, this special travel authorisation does not require applicants to physically go to an embassy or consulate. The whole process will be completed online.
Who needs an ETIAS visa waiver?
There are currently more than 50 nationalities who will need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver though more countries may be added to the list in the future. It is key to understand that after ETIAS is implemented in November 2023, the current visa-free countries will continue to have this status, the only difference being the need to obtain a valid ETIAS along with their passports.
Citizens from non-eligible countries will need to apply for a Schengen Europe visa to enter the region. There are also different types of visas available for people who want to study or work in Europe as ETIAS is not a visa and is not designed for these purposes.
Countries of origin
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Macao
- North Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
ETIAS countries
How does the ETIAS system work?
Once ETIAS has been implemented, citizens from eligible countries will need to obtain an ETIAS visa waiver before entering any of the countries in the Schengen Area, Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. The online application will only take a matter of minutes to complete.
Applicants will need to answer a series of questions by entering basic information such as their name, address, date of birth, and passport details. There will also be some questions regarding health and security.
The information provided by applicants will be screened using relevant security databases. The majority of applications will be processed within minutes though some may take longer.
Once approved, the ETIAS visa waiver will be sent to the applicant electronically. Travellers will be able to present this special travel document when they arrive in the Schengen Area to gain entry.
Why a European travel authorisation?
The ETIAS visa waiver program has been created to strengthen the security of the region. Screening travellers before they enter the Schengen Area, Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania will allow the authorities to identify potential security risks and prevent them from entering the zone.
The European Commission adopted the ETIAS proposal in November 2016. It is part of an effort to enhance border management as a response to the growing number of terrorist attacks across Europe’s major cities.
ETIAS will protect visitors to the Schengen Area as well as European citizens and residents. The online ETIAS application process has been designed to be hassle-free and straightforward, and there will be no need to go to an embassy or consulate.
