Official ETIAS ｜HELP

Visitors to the Schengen Area will soon be required to register with ETIAS (the European
Travel Information and Authorization System) before traveling.

ETIAS was designed by the European Union (EU) to strengthen border control and
improve security in the Schengen Area.

Despite its planned launch date of late 2022 ETIAS; some travelers are unsure what
they will need to do to visit Europe when ETIAS is operational.

This is due, in part, to confusion about which countries are in the Schengen Area, which
are in the EU, and which countries will require ETIAS.

The UK's exit from the EU following Brexit has raised more questions about travel to the
continent.

On this page we cover the differences between the European Union and the Schengen
Area and where ETIAS will be required from the end of 2022.

In short, they are two different entities, although both include many of the countries.

The EU is a political and economic union, while the Schengen Area allows the free
movement of people between participating countries.

ETIAS is not a permit for all European countries. The ETIAS travel authorization gives
access to all countries included in the Schengen Agreement.

ETIAS countries and Schengen countries are the same; an ETIAS permit is like the
Schengen visa, but for visa-exempt travelers.

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union composed of 27 member
states.

The leaders of 6 countries (Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and
West Germany) signed the Treaty of Paris in 1951 to form the European Coal and Steel
Community (ECSC).

The community expanded over the decades that soon followed to include the other 22
members and was renamed the European Union.

EU countries have autonomy over many aspects of their policymaking, including foreign
policy, but are subject to the judicial and legislative institutions of the EU.

Although each member state has its own government, there are shared laws covering
different areas: trade, agriculture, regional development, etc.

The EU single market allows the free movement of people, goods, services and money.
EU citizens have the freedom to study, work, live and retire in any EU country.

However, these rights do not apply to citizens of non-EU countries. EU visitors can travel
freely between Schengen Area countries after entering one of them, but not all EU
countries are in the Schengen Area.

LIST OF EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
The 27 European countries that are part of the EU:
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Czech Republic
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Czech Republic
- Romania
- Sweden

EUROPEAN COUNTRIES OUTSIDE THE EU
Not all European countries are in the EU. The non-EU countries in Europe are:
- Albania*
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Georgia
- Iceland
- Kosovo
- Liechtenstein
- North Macedonia
- Moldova

- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Norway
- United Kingdom
- Russia
- San Marino
- Serbia*
- Switzerland
- Turkey**
- Ukraine
** Candidate countries for EU membership *** Potential member countries

The Schengen area is a travel zone composed of 26 European states. The countries in
the Schengen area have abolished controls at their common borders.

For visitors to the EU, this means that the Schengen area acts as one country. After
crossing an external Schengen border, travelers can enter any of the 26 Schengen
countries without further passport controls.

Schengen countries are the European nations that have signed the Schengen
Agreement. These countries operate without internal border controls, allowing free
movement.

There are currently 26 Schengen member states. A majority of these are countries that
are in the European Union (EU). Ireland is the only EU country that has excluded itself
from the Schengen Agreement.

There are also four countries that are in the Schengen area but are not EU member
states:

- Iceland
- Liechtenstein
- Norway
- Switzerland
Three micro-States are de facto part of the Schengen area: Monaco, Vatican City and
San Marino.

COMPLETE LIST OF SCHENGEN COUNTRIES
- Germany
- Austria
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Estonia
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Poland
- Portugal
- Czech Republic
- Sweden
- Switzerland
European micro-States in the Schengen Area:
- Vatican City
- Monaco
- San Marino

There will be 60 visa-free countries whose citizens will be able to obtain an ETIAS travel
authorization after its implementation by the end of 2022. The ETIAS visa waiver will
allow entry into the Schengen area.

Which Countries Will Need To Apply For An ETIAS
Permit?

The citizens of all visa exempt countries, which are outside the European Union, will
need to apply for an ETIAS authorization before traveling to the Schengen area.

The ETIAS visa waiver allows entry into the 26 European countries of the Schengen
area. These countries do not have passport controls at their common borders.

The 26 ETIAS countries include all EU countries, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway
and Switzerland. Also included are three microstates: Monaco, San Marino and Vatican
City.

Please note that the European Commission has not yet finalized the next list of ETIAS eligible countries. It is probable that more countries will be added to the list in the future.

The European Commission has not yet closed the list of ETIAS-eligible countries. It is
likely that more countries will be added in the future.

Currently, these are the countries that will be able to apply for ETIAS authorization:
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Macau
- North Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- St. Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Serbia and Montenegro
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- United Arab Emirates
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela

After Brexit and the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, British passport
holders are now citizens of a third country.

While they will not be required to obtain a visa for short stays in Europe, [British travelers
will need an ETIAS permit] to visit Europe.

Only travelers from EU countries will be exempt from applying for an ETIAS permit and
will still be able to enjoy free movement within the Schengen area.

Citizens of non-EU countries who are currently exempt from visa requirements will need
an ETIAS authorization.

Citizens of other nationalities will continue to require a Schengen visa and will not be
eligible for ETIAS visa exemption.

Visa exempt citizens traveling to any Schengen country for tourism, business or shortterm medical treatment will need an ETIAS permit.

The authorization will also be required for transit through the Schengen area on the way
to a third country.

With ETIAS, foreign visitors may stay in the region for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

A visa or other permit is required to stay in the Schengen area longer than 3 months, or
for purposes other than those mentioned above

Yes, passport holders under 18 years of age must register in the ETIAS system.

Parents and guardians can apply for an ETIAS permit for their children by indicating on
the form that the application is made on behalf of a minor.

The ETIAS visa waiver for Europe works similarly to the ESTA for the U.S. Find out how
ETIAS and ESTA work and what their differences are.

The European Union is implementing the European Travel Information and Authorization
System (ETIAS) to improve safety and security in the Schengen area.

ETIAS is a visa waiver program with similar objectives to the U.S. Electronic System for
Travel Authorization (ESTA).

Europe's ESTA visa waiver, also known as ETIAS, is designed to pre-screen visaexempt travelers wishing to enter the Schengen area, while the U.S. ESTA pre-screens
those traveling to the country without a visa.

When the European Commission approved ETIAS, the European version of ESTA,
some saw it as a new travel tax for Europe.

However, the EU put forward the European ETIAS proposal in 2016 as part of several
new measures to increase safety and security across the Schengen area. The "EU
ESTA" will be a new system implemented for travelers who currently do not need a visa
to enter Europe.

ETIAS, the EU ESTA, will be available from the end of 2022.

After an initial grace period, it will be mandatory for all citizens who previously did not
need a visa to visit Europe. This will include U.S. citizens, who will be able to apply for
an ETIAS authorization for Americans online.

ESTA is for those traveling to the U.S. and ETIAS is for those wishing to visit the EU.
Other than this basic difference, the systems are similar: both involve pre-departure
registration for visa-exempt visitors.

Both travel authorization systems process applications based on contact and passport
information, as well as answers to certain health and security questions.

The differences between ESTA and ETIAS relate more to the conditions of each visa
exemption.

Although both travel authorizations allow multiple entries, the ETIAS authorization for
Europe will be valid for 3 years, while the ESTA must be renewed after 2 years.

Travelers seeking more information on the ETIAS visa waiver can refer to these ETIAS
FAQs for more details.

The ETIAS visa waiver will allow travelers from eligible countries to visit all Schengen
countries with a single travel authorization.

Just like European business travelers who frequently visit the U.S. with an ESTA
authorization, U.S. travelers will also need to obtain an ETIAS authorization to enter
Europe for short business trips.

Similarly, ETIAS, Europe's ESTA, will be a mandatory entry requirement for tourists and
those visiting Europe for pleasure or to attend a conference.

Now that Brexit negotiations have concluded and the UK has left the EU, UK citizens will
need an ETIAS visa waiver for travel to European countries. UK passport holders
already need an ESTA authorization to go to the United States.

The ETIAS Petition form will be quick and easy to complete once the petitioner has the
necessary data on hand to apply for an ESTA authorization for Europe.

Applicants must have the following to meet the ETIAS requirements and complete their
ETIAS application:

- A valid passport, with at least 6 months validity as of the intended travel dates.

- An email address where the applicant will receive updates, as well as the ETIAS
authorization, once granted.

- A credit or debit card to pay ETIAS online fees.

The information collected by the ETIAS and ESTA systems is cross-checked against
multiple international databases.

Data required to apply for an ETIAS (or ESTA) includes:

- Personal information (name, date and place of birth).

- Passport information (number, country, date of issue and expiration date)

- Contact information (email address, cell phone number)

- Questions about past travel, criminal history, and health.

Both the European ESTA and U.S. ESTA are obtained online via a web form.

Electronic processing of the EU ESTA and U.S. ESTA eliminates the need to visit an
embassy or consulate and reduces processing time compared to a traditional consular
visa.

Europe is poised to join the many other regions of the world where e-visa systems are
already in place.
The European Commission has proposed the implementation of a visa waiver called the
European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS.

As of today, and with very little time remaining before this travel permit comes into effect,
there is already a significant amount of information about how it will work and what the
many advantages the ETIAS visa waiver will provide to the European Union.

The European Commission has confirmed that the ETIAS system will be very similar to
the ESTA program currently in place in the United States.

Not all travelers will be able to apply for an ETIAS authorization, as the program is only
available to citizens of 60 countries (such as Argentina or Mexico) that do not currently
require a visa for Europe.

Travelers from eligible countries will be asked to provide information related to their
identity and travel plans on the ETIAS application. Among other details, travelers will be
asked to provide:

- Personal details (first name, last name, address, etc.).

- Valid passport / travel document.

- Place and date of birth.

- Parental information.
In addition, prospective applicants will also be asked for additional information related to
their travel. This may include questions about:

- Public health risks, criminal record.

- Previous denial of entry to Europe.

- Employment history.

- Information on previous travel to the EU.

Once the application has been completed, most travelers will receive their approved
clearance within minutes. However, some people (a minority) will have to wait up to 2
weeks for a response.

The ETIAS authorization will be sent to the traveler by e-mail and will be valid for 3
years, during which multiple entries into the Schengen Area for maximum periods of 90
consecutive days are possible.

The advantages of implementing an electronic visa, a system that already exists in many
parts of the world, are numerous. In addition, the benefits of ETIAS are not only good for
government agencies, but are also advantages for travelers.

Some of the main benefits of ETIAS are the following:

With an improved and simplified border crossing, travelers will be able to pass through
immigration control faster. Border officials will also save time, as they will have pre-screened passengers.

Because ETIAS coordinates with major security databases, e.g. SIS, VIS, EUROPOL
and Interpol, the fight against terrorism and criminal activities will improve, as dangerous
persons will be more easily identified.

As an ETIAS travel authorization will be required to enter the EU, entering Europe
illegally will be very difficult and illegal immigration will be greatly reduced.

An updated border system that coordinates with other major systems around the world
will enable officials to manage borders more efficiently, helping them to be more
effective in security matters.

E-visa systems around the world have improved security and contributed to increased
tourism wherever they have been implemented. European authorities hope to achieve
the same success, in both respects