New requirement for US travelers to Europe

Starting next year, 2024, travelers from the United States and other countries would have to go through another layer of administrative hurdles when they visit Europe. The European Union recently unveiled a new program called European Travel Information and Authorization System or ETIAS designed to help improve security and increased mobility in the European Union and Schengen Area. Registration in the ETIAS is a mandatory EU entry requirement for citizens of visa exempt countries such as the US. It is not a visa, but a visa waiver, which allows eligible visitors to continue travelling visa-free. Thus, if you are entering Europe and plan to stay for up to 90 days for business or tourism purposes and you come from any of the visa waiver countries, you do not need a visa. But if you wish to stay in the EU for longer than 90 consecutive days, or to live, work, or study, must apply for a Schengen visa.

So how do you apply for ETIAS? It is a fully online application that asks for personal details, contact and passport details, travel plans, security related questions regarding criminal activity and other sensitive background information. There is also a minimal $8 fee and the processing takes within minutes and a decision may take in a few days. If approved, the authorization is valid for three years, or earlier, if the travel document used to fill out the application expires before the authorization does.

There is no specific date in 2024 when ETIAS would be implemented. For now, it is enough that those affected by this program are sufficiently made aware that it is forthcoming.