For years, travelers holding a passport issued by the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc. could visit Europe without a visa. However, starting from 2024, entry requirements into Europe will change. According to ETIAS, travelers from more than 60 visa-free countries will have to obtain travel authorization to enter most European countries. In this passage, we are going to introduce the new Europe visa requirements, including what it is and how to register for it.
What is ETIAS Travel Authorization？
This new entry rule was launched by the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). It gained approval back in 2016 and was supposed to take effect in 2022. However, due to the pandemic, insufficient infrastructure, and so on, it failed to start as planned. As things have been improved, ETIAS decided to restart the program. Once it kicks off, those holding travel documents from the previous visa-waiver countries need to register for a travel authorization, after which it will link to their passports, allowing them to visit European countries and stay for 90 days for business and tourism.
It is similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in the United States and the Electronic Travel Authority (eTA) in Australia which also applies to their visa-waiver countries.
Why This New Entry Requirement Launch?
Currently, citizens of 63 countries can enter most EU countries without a Europe visa. They are allowed to stay for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. However, some of them have been illegally overstayed. By gathering the visitor’s personal and traveling information, ETIAS aims to conduct background checks, and identify security risks, irregular migration, and other potential dangers posed by visa-exempt visitors, thus strengthening security and border control in the EU and Schengen areas.
Who Needs to Apply for ETIAS?
Those who satisfy the following conditions are supposed to apply for the ETIAS “visa” for Europe in 2024.
- You are not from a European Union country.
- You don’t have a residence permit issued by an ETIAS-required European country.
- You are a citizen of the following visa-free countries.
| Albania | Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | Australia | Bahamas |
| Barbados | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Brazil | Brunei | Canada |
| Chile | Marshall Islands | Costa Rica | Dominica | Paraguay |
| Georgia | Trinidad and Tobago | Guatemala | Honduras | Hong Kong |
| Israel | Solomon Islands | Kiribati | Macao | Malaysia |
| Colombia | United Arab Emirates | Mexico | Micronesia | Moldova |
| Montenegro | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Nicaragua | Uruguay | United States |
| Panama | New Zealand | Peru | Tuvalu | Saint Lucia |
| Singapore | El Salvador | Samoa | Serbia | Seychelles |
| Japan | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Taiwan | Tonga | Timor-Leste |
| Grenada | South Korea | Ukraine | Mauritius | United Kingdom |
| Palau | North Macedonia | Venezuela | Vanuatu |
What Countries Require the New Europe Visa Requirements in 2024?
A total of 30 countries have joined the program, including the Schengen member countries and some EU countries. They are listed as follows.
| Austria | Belgium | Czech Republic | Croatia | Denmark | Estonia |
| Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Hungary | Iceland |
| Italy | Latvia | Liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Malta |
| Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugal | Slovakia | Slovenia |
| Spain | Sweden | Switzerland | Romania | Cyprus | Bulgaria |
Cost of ETIAS Travel Authorization
Applicants between 18-70 years old have to pay €7 while the others are exempt from fees. You can use a valid debit or credit card to pay online.
Processing Time of ETIAS Travel Authorization
It takes a few minutes to one hour to deal with your application. That is to say, even a last-minute trip can go ahead. However, if the authority requires you to provide extra documents or have an interview, it might be extended to 14-30 days.
How to Register ETIAS
Application for an ETIAS “visa” to Europe can be done online with a computer or mobile device. Unlike applying for a visa, you don’t need to show any photocopy or original copy of a series of documents. All you need is a passport and a debit/credit card for payment. The passport must have at least 3-6 months of validity period upon the date of leaving Europe.
Complete Online Application Form
Once you are eligible for ETIAS, please complete the electronic application form on the ETIAS website. The following details are required.
- Personal information such as full name (in compliance with that on the passport), date and place of birth, gender, address, email, nationality, telephone number, educational/ occupational experiences, etc.
- Passport information such as passport number, date of issuance and expiration
- Travel information such as date of arrival and departure, EU destination country, purpose of visit, and duration of stay.
Fulfill Payment
After submitting the online application form, please pay the ETIAS fee with a valid credit or debit card.
Wait for the Application Decision
Next, various authorities will review your application and send you an email with a unique ETIAS application number. You will be informed by email of the final decision within 96 hours.
If approved, you should check if there is anything wrong with the information on it.
If rejected, it will tell you why, and how and when to appeal.
FAQ: New Visa for Europe in 2024
Q: How long is an ETIAS valid?
A: It remains valid for three years upon issuance. During this period, it will also become invalid if your passport expires.
Q: Do I need to apply for a visa to Europe under the ETIAS program?
A: No, if you are a citizen from the past visa-waiver countries to Europe. Please note that ETIAS is not a real visa, but a pre-screening program to ensure security.
Q: Is ETIAS a simple alternative to a visa?
A: No. ETIAS is an electronic travel authorization for travelers who can visit Europe without visas while visas are a mandatory entry permit. It takes a few minutes to obtain an ETIAS while a visa requires more time, money, and documents to apply for.
Q: Can I work, study or live in the EU after gaining ETIAS permission?
A: No. ETIAS travel authorization is only suitable for the purpose of transit, tourism and business travel in a short term.
Q: Can I enter Europe with ETIAS?
A: This new Europe “visa” does not automatically guarantee your right to enter the ETIAS-required countries. The officer at the border has the final say by checking whether you satisfy the entry requirements. Besides, you cannot board a ferry, train or airplane without an ETIAS authorization.
Q: When should I apply for ETIAS travel authorization?
A: It will start in 2024 and there is a period of grace of 180 days. During the transitional period, you are not mandatory to apply but encouraged.
Summary
After reading this passage, you must have learned about the new Europe visa requirements launched by ETIAS. Whether you need an ETIAS travel authorization depends on your nationality and destination. It aims to boost internal security in the European Union, so every cross-border travel is supposed to work with it. As the whole process is done online and requires very simple steps and documents, there is no need to worry about the new entry visa for Europe in 2024.
Dolores Xiao