Visa-free no longer hassle-free

Everything you must know about ETIAS and how to ensure a seamless visa-free travel experience.

Nothing is as exciting as booking a flight to Europe and preparing a thoroughly planned itinerary to ensure you see, eat, and visit everything on your list. Easy, simple, and straightforward. That is until you hear about the ETIAS security credentials you need to pass prior to entry starting in 2023. But fear not, although it sounds intimidating, we’ve gathered everything you need to know about it to ensure a seamless travel experience. 

ETIAS, European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), is a registration system set to launch in November 2023, which will require any non-EU traveler with a visa waiver (57 ETIAS-requiring countries), to complete prior to entry. For a fee, this new system will check the security credentials of travellers, prior to their visit to any EU member state. 

By implementing ETIAS, the EU Commission intends to add a layer of security over the Schengen area primarily requiring these visa-free travellers to obtain travel authorization and undergo various security checks prior to their arrival to the EU. With around 50 million individual visitors in Europe last year and over 200 million entries, the ETIAS would ensure security threats are identified and dealt with outside EU borders and ensure citizens inside the EU remain safe from such threats.

A decision is expected to be reached by the system within minutes: 

• If approved, the authorization will be issued for a period of three years or until the date of the applicant’s passport expiry, whichever date is sooner.  
• If denied, the applicant will receive a reason for the refusal as well as information on the country or authority deciding against the ETIAS being approved.

It is also important to note, that those who are not eligible for, or don’t have, ETIAS must hold a Schengen Visa, which is entered manually into the passport and allows travel within the 26 Schengen member states.

Learn more about your country’s status for entry into Europe by visiting: https://etias.com/