QWhat is ETIAS, European Travel Authorization System visa waiver program, and will I need one to travel to an EU country?
What is ETIAS?
ETIAS, a new visa waiver, is the European Travel Information and Authorization System that has been in the pipeline for almost a decade.. It’s a bit like the US waiver system, but applies to UK travellers heading to certain European countries who must fill in a new form before they travel. This system will pre-vet visitors for security purposes.
There’s to be a charge of €7, and the authorised document will be valid for three years and allow for multiple trips across different countries in the bloc.
The system is designed to work with the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) to vet visa-exempt visitors for security purposes. ETIAS will be put into place after EES is up and running. Currently the launch date for the EES is scheduled for October 2025.
Why is ETIAS coming into being?
ETIAS was dreamed up in 2016 and was supposed to be ready for 2023, then 2024, then in 2025. This has been delayed again and a new date is yet to be announced.
In 2016 president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker said:
“We need to know who is crossing our borders. This way we will know who is travelling to Europe before they even get here”.
The EU will use the information given by arrivals to carry out security checks against its existing migration, police and security databases. The UK government has said that it is also considering a similar visa waiver system for non-British nationals to enter on pre-screening. There has been no word on that yet.
When will ETIAS become mandatory?
We don’t have an exact date yet. In the meantime, citizens travelling from ETIAS Eligible Countries can enter the EU without a visa.
To apply online for an ETIAS waiver, you will need:
- A valid passport
- An email
- A credit or debit card
- Be able to supply full name, date of birth and country of residence
- Be able to provide answers to health questions
The list of visa-exempt countries includes the UK as well as: 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, Kosovo, Macao, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
An Etias is also not required if you’re only transiting and staying in the “international transit area”.
How long does an ETIAS last?
An Etias lasts up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It can, however, be revoked any time.
More info: Schengen Visa Countries List
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