• On June 9th, 2017, EU members opted to approve ETIAS, a new travel security screening scheme.
  • Key issues like ‘when does ETIAS go into effect?‘ and ‘how will ETIAS keep Europe safe?’ may finally be addressed.

23-11-2022

EU nations expressed their support for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System during a meeting of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council in Luxembourg (ETIAS).

ETIAS is an electronic visa waiver programme aimed for improving cross-border security, comparable to systems currently in existence in Australia, the United States, and Canada.

The creation of the ETIAS visa waiver may now proceed with the support of Schengen Area members. As a result, tourists should brace themselves for the implementation of a new electronic pass in the coming years.

CHANGES TO THE EU VISA LIBERALISATION POLICY

Citizens of more than 50 non-EU countries can now cross a Schengen Area external border with only their passport. For brief trips in Europe, citizens of the United States, Taiwan, Australia, and Argentina do not need to apply for a Schengen visa.

Individuals from exempt nations will retain visa-free status once the new system, agreed to by EU member states’ interior ministers, is implemented, but will be required to register with ETIAS.

Before a third-country citizen crosses an external EU border, their passport will be scanned and the visa waiver will be verified. ETIAS will be linked to the biometric passport’s electronic chip.

BENEFITS OF THE PROPOSED ETIAS PROGRAMME

The planned visa waiver scheme has been hailed by European authorities due to the enormous safety benefits it will offer.

ETIAS’s primary goal is to strengthen border security and make Europe more secure for citizens and visitors. This will be accomplished by screening individuals from outside the EU before they cross the border to ensure that they do not pose a threat to Europe.

In a joint statement, Commissioners Dimitris Avramapoulos and Julian King stated:

“ETIAS will enable us to gather advance information on visa-free visitors to the EU,” and “to ensure that those who may pose a security risk are identified before they reach our borders.”

ETIAS will specifically target terrorism and other serious crimes that, while rare, do occur in Europe on occasion.

“ETIAS will allow us to restrict entry into the EU in advance and better deal with the challenges that those who come to perpetrate acts of banditry and terrorism may pose,” said French Minister Gérard Collomb.

ETIAS WILL HELP PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH IN EUROPE

Another reason why Schengen Member States have backed the new legislation is the health advantages.

Visitors will be asked health-related questions while filling out an ETIAS application form. Individuals infected with certain contagious diseases may be barred from entering Europe, lowering the chance of an epidemic.

HOW TRAVELLERS WILL BENEFIT FROM THE ETIAS VISA WAIVER

The new ETIAS visa waiver system will benefit not just EU nations and authorities, but also European travellers.

ETIAS will allow citizens of qualified nations to visit Europe without a visa while also improving security.

Europe already has some of the world’s safest places, including Iceland, Austria, and Portugal. Visitors will be able to enjoy these and other prominent tourist spots with more peace of mind once ETIAS is introduced.

WHEN DOES ETIAS COME INTO EFFECT?

Although ETIAS was agreed upon in 2017, it will take several years to create the sophisticated system. eu-LISA, the EU agency for large-scale IT systems in the fields of freedom, security, and justice, manages the European Travel Information and Authorisation System.

ETIAS will debut in November 2023. It was originally scheduled for 2021, but the European Union pushed it back.

Travelers should be aware that, while the visa waiver will be available beginning in November 2023, it will not be mandatory at this time. There will be a 6-month grace period during which information will be provided at Schengen borders to ensure that everyone is fully aware of the new process.

The travel authorization will be required to enter the Schengen Area visa-free after the grace period ends.

WHICH EU COUNTRIES REQUIRE ETIAS?

When ETIAS is implemented, it will be required to cross an external Schengen border. After crossing the border, a foreigner is free to visit any of the Schengen nations.

22 of the ETIAS countries are European Union members.

EU Member States:

  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Czech Republic
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Italy
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Spain
  • Sweden

Non-EU Member States:

  • Iceland
  • Liechtenstein
  • Norway
  • Switzerland

With ETIAS, visitors can stay in any of the above countries for a maximum of 90 days in a 180-day period. It is a three-year permit with multiple entries.