How to Apply For ETIAS Travel Requirement For Europe
A new travel requirement for U.S. passport holders launching in 2025
What Is ETIAS?
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is a new travel requirement for passport holders of 59 countries, including the United States, to enter Europe. Based on its American counterpart ESTA, ETIAS conducts background checks on applicants to identify potential security risks before granting them travel authorization to 30 European countries.
Note:
ETIAS is an electronic visa waiver and not a visa itself.
Countries Requiring ETIAS
Starting in January 2025, ETIAS will be required to enter the following countries:
- Schengen Area Members:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Non-Schengen Participants:
- Bulgaria
- Cyprus
- Romania
Who Needs to Apply For ETIAS?
Citizens from certain countries currently don’t need a visa to enter an EU country. When ETIAS goes into effect, the following countries will need to obtain ETIAS before traveling to Europe:
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- Argentina
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldava
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- North Macedonia
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- Uruguay
- United Arab Emirate
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Venezuela
Note:
Citizens of countries that aren’t eligible for ETIAS will still need to apply for a Schengen Visa to enter a Schengen country.
If you aren’t sure if you require ETIAS, take the free assessment on the program website.
How to Apply for ETIAS
Applying for ETIAS requires a passport and access to a computer or mobile device with an internet connection. The application process takes approximately 20 minutes, but the duration may vary based on the number of additional fields that need to be filled out. While ETIAS will only launch in 2025, travelers can prepare ahead by understanding the application process.
Boundless Tip: The EU recommends submitting your ETIAS application at least 96 hours before departure.
Required Application Fields
Applicants need to provide the following information as part of their ETIAS application:
- Personal Details: Surname (family name), first name(s), surname at birth, usual name(s), date of birth, place of birth, country of birth, sex, current nationality, first names of the parents of the applicant, and home address.
- Passport Information: Details of the passport or travel document, including passport number, issue date, and expiration date.
- Nationalities or Citizenships: If applicable, information on any other nationalities or citizenships held by the applicant.
- Permanent Residence: Address of permanent residence.
- Contact Details: Email address and telephone number.
- Intended First Entry: Member State of intended first entry into Europe.
- Education and Occupation: Information about your education background and current occupation.
- Background and Eligibility Questions: Questions related to medical conditions, criminal history, drug distribution, travel to war-zone countries, previous immigration or travel issues, etc.
- Minors and Representatives: If the applicant is a minor, the identity of the responsible person; if the application is submitted by someone other than the applicant, their identity and representing company (if applicable).
- Family Members: Details of family members to EU citizens/third country nationals benefiting from free movement.
Required Documents
When applying for ETIAS, ensure your passport is:
- Current and Valid: The passport must be valid at the time of your arrival in Europe.
- Machine-Readable: The passport should contain a machine-readable section on the biographic details page.
- Electronic: While not universally required, your passport may need to be an electronic passport bearing the electronic passport sign or chip.
How Much Does ETIAS Cost?
The ETIAS application fee is 7 EUROS for applicants aged between 18 to 70 years. However, travelers under 18 or over 70 years old are exempt from paying the fee. Debit and credit card payments are accepted for the application fee.
Upon payment, the application will be processed, and most applicants will receive a decision within minutes.
What’s the Difference Between ETIAS and ESTA?
ETIAS, ESTA, and other travel authorization or visa waiver programs are essentially just security pre-checks – border security measures that help ensure that visitors don’t pose a risk to the country they are traveling to. The key difference is that ESTA is issued by one country (the U.S.), but there are about 30 countries involved in the issuance and coordination of ETIAS – some of which aren’t even in the EU, like Iceland. Therefore, people taking advantage of airfare deals from Iceland to the UK will need to apply for ETIAS for their Iceland visit, but can then travel to the UK visa-free.
Potential Impact
Early estimates show that more than 1.4 billion people from 60+ countries will have to apply for the ETIAS travel authorization – and its implementation is dependent on the Entry/Exit System (EES) which has faced a host of challenges and delays.
- Aviation groups criticized the EES for shortcomings such as a lack of resources for new procedures at airports and airlines, the need for an additional layer of communication to educate those impacted about the new requirements, insufficient staff managing the EU’s external border.
- The system has been challenged by other groups who say it poses data security risks, and violates data protection rights.
Many U.S. travelers have never had to worry about travel authorizations or travel visas, and the learning curve could take time to overcome – which could cause even more airport delays and frustration for those who aren’t prepared. For some, the additional step of obtaining ETIAS authorization could act as a deterrent to travel, particularly for those who are used to the previous ease of travel between the U.S. and Europe. This could result in a decrease in short-term travel from the U.S. to Europe.
Additional Potential Impacts:
- Preparation and Planning: Travelers from the U.S. to Europe will need to plan their trips with more lead time to ensure they obtain the necessary ETIAS authorization before their travel dates. This change means spontaneous trips might be more difficult to arrange.
- Increased Security: With the ETIAS system, there will be enhanced security as it is designed to identify any potential security or irregular migration risks. This might lead to a safer travel environment, which could be perceived positively by travelers.
- Data Privacy: Some travelers might have concerns over data privacy, as the ETIAS system would collect and store personal information.
- Increased Understanding: The introduction of ETIAS might lead to greater understanding among U.S. citizens of the similar process that many foreign nationals must go through when visiting the U.S. (i.e., the ESTA system).