Citizens of at least 60 countries traveling to Europe will need, as of 2024, a permit to enter the European Union, called ETIAS.
The European Union announced in 2018 that it has created the European Travel Information and Authorization System, ETIAS (or ETIAS for its acronym in English), which will require “advance assessments of the security and migration risks of foreigners who benefit from visa-free access to the Schengen area”.
The Schengen Area is an area of 26 European countries that do not have internal borders and allow people to move freely among themselves, including countries such as Spain, France, Greece, Germany, Italy, and Poland.
Currently, citizens of several Latin American countries and the United States can travel to Europe for up to 90 days without any type of travel.
Travelers who do not require a visa to enter the Schengen area, including US citizens, must obtain an ETIAS permit before visiting the Schengen area.
The long-awaited plan was supposed to be launched in November this year. But he was delayed until 2024.
This is what you should know.
European Commission First Vice President Frans Timmermans at a press conference on progress towards the European Security Union and the proposal for a European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) at the European Commission in Brussels on November 16, 2016. (Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP. via Getty Images )
Is it still visible?
NO, BECAUSE IT WAS NOT SEEN, IT IS GIVEN AUTHORITY TO TRAVEL TO THE EUROPEAN UNION.
The European Commission declares that citizens of countries that do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area do not need to continue. Travelers must make these changes even before they travel.
“Also, the system will be simple, fast and convenient for visitors and will lead to a positive response in more than 95% of cases in a few minutes,” says the European Commission on its website.
In order not to obtain this document at the consulate, they will not accept biometric data or information such as those collected during the visa process, says the European Commission. On the other hand, while visas are processed in business days and even months, it still takes “just a few minutes” to process online.
“Also, a travel permit will be necessary and a quick procedure for all visa-exempt travelers, which will allow them to avoid formalities and delays when they present themselves at the borders. ETIAS will fully respect this exempt status, facilitating foreign transit. Schengen border and visa-exempt visitors to allow them to enjoy their status “, says the European Commission.
How long will ETIAS be valid?
The ETIAS will be valid for a period of three years and is valid for an unlimited number of users, according to the European Commission.
How much does the process cost?
Travelers between the ages of 18 and 70 will have to pay a single payment of 7 coins (about US$8) for a travel permit and it will be valid for three years.
Travelers under the age of 18 and over the age of 70 are exempt from this payment.
Since when will this license be necessary?
According to the European Commission’s website, the ETIAS permit is expected to come into operation by 2024, although it does not give a more specific date.
At this time the ETIAS system is not working, no data is collected from travelers and the European Commission has “planned transitions to ensure a smooth deployment of the system”.
Which countries do you need ETIAS?
This document will only apply to citizens of countries and regions that do not require visas to enter the Schengen Area. Citizens of Member States of the European Union and countries of the Schengen Area do not need an ETIAS.
For example: a citizen of Norway traveling from Latin America via Portugal to his country will not need ETIAS, since Norway is a member of the Schengen Area, although it is not a state of the European Union.
In the state, citizens of 60 countries that do not need visas to enter the European Union will need this permit.
The countries of the American continent that will allow ETIAS work are: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua; Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, United States of America, Uruguay and Venezuela.
See the full list here.
What countries does this permit not apply to?
ETIAS is not applicable to foreigners from countries with visas to enter Europe. In the United States, the countries that are on this site are: Belize, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Suriname.
What do the borders of the European Union mean to travelers?
Why even?
Currently, the European Union’s border authorities have little information about exempt travelers, so ETIAS could do so as this “information gap,” says the European Union.
With the ETIAS, the European Union seeks to identify “risks to security, irregular migration or disease posed by exempt visitors”. In addition, the European Commission says that the document should facilitate the passage of travelers who do not pose these risks to health and public safety.
“After completing the online application form, the system will deal with the EU data limits and security checks and, in most cases, obtain travel within minutes. In limited cases, when the traveler’s access is blocked, they are required. issued travel permits can take up to 30 days” European Commission of he says in his place.
With this document, “authorities will receive vital information necessary to assess the potential risks of people traveling to the European Union and, if necessary, travel authorization can be denied,” the European Commission adds.
According to Frontex, there are approximately 1,900 border crossings in the European Union and it is estimated that by 2025 there will be a million crossings (for 2014 there were an estimated 565 million crossings). The European Union estimates that around a third of border crossings will be by people who are not part of the European Union, so it is also trying to control security issues in the region.
How does it work?
And so the work will be like this:
Before setting off, those interested must complete an application via the internet, providing basic information (name, age, occupation, passport number, country of entry into Europe). In addition, they must answer questions about health and safety, among others. Registration, in the beginning, no more than 10 minutes.
