What is ETIAS?

The EU Travel Information and Authorisation System is abbreviated as ETIAS. It is very likely that it will become an electronic visa or visa waiver. EU passport holders are not required to apply for ETIAS. Countries such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, and others that do not require a Schengen Visa to visit Europe will be required to apply for ETIAS beginning in 2024

Who needs ETIAS?

You might be surprised to learn who requires ETIAS. With the introduction of ETIAS in 2024, passport holders from 59 of the 62 countries that currently travel visa-free will need an ETIAS waiver to visit Europe for tourism, business, or transit for a 90-day stay in any 180-day period. Find out if you may need an ETIAS or Schengen visa below:

ETIAS Member Country

ETIAS countries that will require travellers to have an EU travel authorization will be those that are currently full EU Schengen States, as well as European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Members, European Microstates with Open Borders, and Future Schengen Members. Future Schengen Member Countries will be required to implement ETIAS to become full members of the EU.

ETIAS Requirements

You will not need to apply for an ETIAS until 2024. However, below is guidance to help you think ahead about the application.

Personal Details

• Full name including first name, surname, usual name, any given name(s), birth surname (maiden name) if married or since changed. Other names or alias(es).
• Home address. If this is not available, the city and country of residence will be required.
• Contact phone number(s).
• Valid email address.
• Date, place and country of birth.
• Nationality (current).
• Other nationalities (if applicable).
• First names of applicant’s parents.
• Education history (primary school through to higher level) or none.
• Gender.
• Occupation. Additional information may be required regarding job title, job description and details of employer. Students will need to provide details of school or college.

Documentation and Travel Plans

In order to receive ETIAS approval the applicant must hold a current passport or travel document that is valid for at least three months past the arrival date in the ETIAS country being visited. Details required include:

• The passport or travel document number, type and country of issue
• Issue and expiry date of the travel document or passport
• Name of (first) member country to be visited and (possibly) the address of the hotel or accommodation where the applicant will spend the first night(s)
• The intended destination country and accommodation address may not always be known and this requirement is intended for persons applying for the first time for ETIAS approval for a specific holiday or business trip. Subsequent trips do not need to be notified to the ETIAS authorities.

Health Checks

Another part of the application process is a brief medical and health check. Applicants will be required to furnish details regarding existing medical conditions including:

• Infectious diseases
• Contagious parasitic diseases
• Serious illness

The number of medical conditions on the list, and which may result in refusal, remains a work in progress but is expected to increase as the introduction date approaches.

Security Checks

As the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System is specifically geared towards increased security in Europe, a section covering criminal records and possible security risks will need to be fully and truthfully completed. All applications will be checked through numerous police and security databases including those in the country of application as well as Interpol and Europol. Failure to fully and correctly answer this questionnaire will result in immediate refusal. Areas covered in this security background check include:

Criminal convictions in the preceding ten years including those for:

• Sexual crimes involving children
• Human trafficking
• Drug trafficking
• Rape
• Murder
• Money laundering
• Criminal damage to persons or property
• Terrorism (in preceding twenty years). Details will be required of when and in which country the offences occurred.

As part of the security background check, applicants will also be required to supply details of:

• Any deportation order from any European member country and/or any “third country” that currently require a visa to enter the European zone.
• Stays in or visits to specified war zones or areas of conflict in the preceding ten years and the purpose of the trips or stays.

Applicants who answer the questions regarding criminal conviction, deportation orders and visits to specified areas of conflict in the affirmative will be required to answer a further set of questions by selecting from a range of predetermined answers.

Fees and Payment

The ETIAS application fee is €7, however, travellers under the age of 18 or over the age of 70 will not need to pay the fee. All major debit and credit card payments are accepted. The applicant’s email address listed on the form will be used for confirmation or refusal with a response expected to take just a couple of hours.

Once ETIAS approval is granted it is valid for a period of three years or until the expiry date of the passport, whichever comes first. Once approval expires the application process (including another fee payment) will have to be repeated.

Schengen Visa

If you are not eligible for ETIAS or your ETIAS application is denied, you need to most likely apply for a Schengen visa to visit Europe. 

If you wish to stay in the EU longer then the amount of time granted under the ETIAS, you will need to switch to the relevant visa category based on the purposes of your stay.

Conclusion

Submitting an ETIAS application will require the required documents, time as well as an understanding of the questions in all of the form sections. If you are unable to apply for ETIAS yourself, you can ask a friend, family member or other third-party to assist you with your application. Travellers should apply at least 72 hours before they are due to board a place to an ETIAS member country.