ETIAS stands for: The European Travel Information and Authorization System. In November 2016, the Commission suggested establishing a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to enhance security checks on people who travel visa-free to the EU, who are now citizens of over 60 countries.
ETIAS will be a mostly automated IT system designed to detect any security or irregular migration threats presented by visa-exempt visitors to the Schengen region while facilitating border passage travelers who do not pose such risks.
their journey, non-EU citizens who do not need a visa to enter the Schengen region must apply for travel authorization via the ETIAS system. The information obtained via ETIAS will enable verification in full observance of fundamental rights and data protection rules in advance of any security or irregular migration issues.
All tourists who do not currently require a visa to enter Europe will be required to apply for an ETIAS travel permit in 2024.
An ETIAS Visa is not the same as a visa. Travelers of countries with visa liberalization will continue to be able to enter the EU without a visa but will be needed to get a travel authorization via ETIAS before arrival.
ETIAS will be a straightforward, quick, and user-friendly system that will provide a favorable response in over 95% of situations within a few minutes. An ETIAS travel authorization does not restore visa-like requirements.
No need to apply at a consulate, no biometric data is taken, and substantially less information is required than during the visa application process.
In the great majority of circumstances, a travel authorization will be awarded within minutes after the completion of an online application form.
The ETIAS travel authorization will be a prerequisite for admission into the Schengen zone. It will be examined alongside travel documentation by border patrol agents upon entering the EU border.
This previous verification of visa-exempt non-EU people would streamline border checks, eliminate bureaucracy and delays for travelers, enable a coordinated and harmonized risk assessment of third-country nationals, and drastically reduce the number of refusals of entry at border crossing locations.
Travelers must submit an online application through a dedicated website or a mobile application. The application should not take more than 10 minutes to complete and should not need further evidence than a valid travel document (a passport or other equivalent document).
In the event of ineligibility (due to age, reading level, access to and knowledge of information technology, etc.), a third party may apply.
All candidates between 18 and 70 must submit an electronic payment of €7 for each application. To prevent impeding citizens of third visa-free countries. For those who may not have access to particular payment methods, the electronic payment methods will consider technical advances in visa-free countries. After confirmation of fee collection, the automated assessment procedure will begin.
Most applicants (estimated to exceed 95% of all instances) will get automatic approval minutes after payment. If there is a match against any searched databases or if the automated procedure yields an inconclusive result, a Central Unit of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency or a team from a Member State will manually process the application.
This may extend the response time to the national of the visa-exempt third country by up to 96 hours. In very unusual situations, applicants may be requested for further information, and additional procedural procedures may be required. Still, in all cases, they must make a final determination within four weeks of their application.
After ETIAS Central Unit checks the data, it is anticipated that 3-4% of the approximately 5% of applications that yield a hit would obtain a favorable judgment, with the remaining 1-2% being passed to ETIAS National Units for manual processing.
Following the decision, applicants will get an email with either a valid travel authorization or an explanation for the denial.
The Schengen region consists of 27 countries (“Schengen States”) without internal border controls. The countries in the Schengen area are as follows:
For detailed information on specific parts of the EU visa process, you can refer to the links below to find the answer to your query. If you are unable to find any detailed information, please contact us via email.
The ETIAS Regulation complies with the Charter of Fundamental Rights and incorporates all relevant protections, guaranteeing that ETIAS is produced under the highest data protection standards, particularly concerning data access, which is rigorously controlled. The Regulation provides for the right of redress of persons, including the right to legal recourse and the oversight of processing activities by independent public bodies. They will not store personal information entered in ETIAS for longer than is required for its intended use. You must maintain data for the length of – validity duration of the travel authorization; or – five years from the date of the latest decision to deny, revoke, or cancel the travel authorization.
They might maintain the data for a different period of up to three years beyond the expiration of the validity term of the travel authorization, provided the applicant consents freely and expressly to the extension.
After the data retention term expires, the application file and personal data will be erased automatically from the ETIAS Central System. Member State law enforcement agencies and Europol will access ETIAS under tight circumstances to prevent, detect, and investigate terrorism and other serious crimes.
The authorized authorities and Europol should only seek access to ETIAS where they have reasonable reasons to think that doing so would significantly assist them in performing their responsibilities.
The travel authorization will be valid for three years (or until the expiry date of the travel document).
Even if the travel authorization is valid for three years, it may be canceled or canceled if the circumstances for its issuance no longer exist.
All tourists who do not now require a visa to enter Europe will be required to apply for an ETIAS travel permit by the end of 2023.
