What Is ETIAS and How Will It Affect Your European Travel Plans?

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ETIAS is the European Union’s European Travel Information and Authorization Service. It will regulate the flow of third country nationals (TCNs) with visa-free access to the Schengen area into the zone. In this article, we will discuss the implications for these TCNs, as in non-EU citizens hailing from around 60 countries.

The Development of ETIAS

ETIAS has been some years in the making. The Official Journal of the European Union published a telling entry on Wednesday, September 19, 2018. This reported the events of the previous Wednesday.

Readers learnt of REGULATION (EU) 2018/1240 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 12 September 2018 “establishing a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)”. This was actually a response to an agreement made two years previously. Yes, in spring 2016.

The entry reveals that: “The Communication of the Commission of 6 April 2016 entitled ‘Stronger and Smarter Information Systems for Borders and Security’ outlined the need for the Union to strengthen and improve its IT systems, data architecture and information exchange in the area of border management, law enforcement and counter-terrorism.”

There have been various pushbacks on the launch date of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System ever since. From 2020 to 2022 to 2023 to 2024. The most recent target of New Year’s Day 2024 was not met because of a combination of factors, including EU Entry/Exit System (EES) issues, the Paris Olympics stretching resources, and technical complications.

The latest, and what looks like being final, proposed launch date is mid-2025. This will be after the setting up of the EES in the autumn of 2024. There will be a transitional period and grace period of 6 months each where visitors without ETIAS travel authorization will not be denied entry if they fulfill the rest of the entry criteria.

European Travel Information and Authorisation System Implications

Beginning in the middle of 2025, you’ll have to make an application for an ETIAS travel authorization if you plan on travelling to any of the 30 countries that are already part of the Schengen area or are scheduled to be so in the future.

These include all EU countries (apart from Ireland), European Economic Area states, and Switzerland. There is a processing charge of €7 for applicants aged 18-70 with children and seniors receiving the authorization for free.

The application is straightforward and can be completed in a matter of minutes. You should receive a decision within 96 hours. The maximum response time is a month and you may need to supply further documents.

Once approved, you will be able to make visits to the 30 countries for up to 90 days within any 180-day period for a period of three years, or until the passport used in the application expires. In any case, the passport in question must be a machine-readable e-passport.

ETIAS mirrors North America’s ESTA and ETA procedures. So, it will be familiar to those who have travelled to the United States and Canada. The costs are particularly similar for the ETA and ETIAS, C$7 and €7, whilst the price of an ESTA is $21.

Who Is Affected by ETIAS?

If you’re a citizen of one of the following countries, you’ll need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization:

1. Albania
2. Antigua and Barbuda
3. Argentina
4. Australia
5. Bahamas
6. Barbados
7. Bosnia and Herzegovina
8. Brazil
9. Brunei
10. Canada
11. Chile
12. Colombia
13. Costa Rica
14. Dominica
15. El Salvador
16. Georgia
17. Grenada
18. Guatemala
19. Honduras
20. Hong Kong
21. Israel
22. Japan
23. Kiribati
24. Macao
25. Malaysia
26. Marshall Islands
27. Mauritius
28. Mexico
29. Micronesia
30. Moldova
31. Montenegro
32. New Zealand
33. Nicaragua
34. North Macedonia
35. Palau
36. Panama
37. Paraguay
38. Peru
39. St Kitts and Nevis
40. St Lucia
41. St Vincent and the Grenadines
42. Samoa
43. Serbia
44. Seychelles
45. Singapore
46. Solomon Islands
47. South Korea
48. Taiwan
49. Timor-Leste
50. Tonga
51. Trinidad and Tobago
52. Tuvalu
53. Ukraine
54. United Arab Emirates
55. United Kingdom
56. United States
57. Uruguay
58. Venezuela

Countries Requiring ETIAS

These are the 30 European countries that you will need to secure ETIAS travel authorization for in advance of arriving:

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Croatia
5. Cyprus
6. Czech Republic
7. Denmark
8. Estonia
9. Finland
10. France
11. Germany
12. Greece
13. Hungary
14. Iceland
15. Italy
16. Latvia
17. Liechtenstein
18. Lithuania
19. Luxembourg
20. Malta
21. Netherlands
22. Norway
23. Poland
24. Portugal
25. Romania
26. Slovakia
27. Slovenia
28. Spain
29. Sweden
30. Switzerland

The RIF Trust View of the European Travel and Information Authorisation System

Ilana van Huyssteen-Meyer is our European Residency and Citizenship by Investment expert. She points out an exemption to having to apply for an ETIAS. “TCNs who have either a European residents’ card or passport will not require a European Travel and Information Authorisation System travel authorization,” explains Van Huyssteen-Meyer.

“This makes the acquisition of a Greek, Portuguese, or Spanish Golden Visa even more valuable,” she elaborates. “And considering these Residency by Investment programmes are becoming more expensive and restrictive, one can be sure that the countries behind them recognize their growing worth.”

“If you want the immediate benefits of citizenship without having to wait for naturalization, Malta is your only option. Maltese Exceptional Investor Naturalization (MEIN) allows you to expedite your way to a EU passport. If you simply want Schengen access without the hassle of more bureaucracy via ETIAS, effectively a new Schengen visa, there’s always the Malta Permanent Residence Programme (MPRP).”

European Travel and Information Authorisation System FAQ

1.) What Is ETIAS?

Essentially, ETIAS is a travel authorization you will need to secure in advance if you’re from a country with a visa-free agreement to any one of 30 specified European countries you intend to visit. It allows you to stay for up to 90 days in an 180-day period. This authorization is valid for up to 3 years or until the expiration of your passport.

2.) When Does ETIAS Start?

The EU has yet to set an official start date for the European Travel and Information Authorisation System to be up and running. Mid-2025 is the plan, with authorities expecting this to happen no earlier than May. After that, there will be combined transition and grace periods spanning a year that means ETIAS won’t be fully operational until 2026.

3.) What Does ETIAS Stand For?

ETIAS is an acronym. It’s like FIFA or NATO. E is for European, T is for Travel, I is for Information, A is for Authorisation, and S is for System.

4.) Can You Apply For ETIAS Now?

No. Although the European Travel and Information Authorisation System travel authorization is something you apply for before arriving to one of the 30 European countries, you can’t get to the start of a queue that doesn’t exist yet. In short, you cannot apply for ETIAS until it is officially launched.

How to Bypass the European Travel and Information Authorisation System

We’ve already told you how to combat Schengen visa rejection. If you don’t have to apply for a Schengen visa, you will need to secure an ETIAS travel authorization. So, don’t delay and contact RIF Trust today if you want to talk about European Residency and Citizenship by Investment solutions.