New rules for entering Europe from 2024

[Eagle ITA]

Travellers to Europe will next year face a change in travel rules with the introduction of a new permit for going to 30 countries in Europe. ETIAS will come into effect in 2024 and will mean people from dozens of nations around the world, including the UK, will need to comply with the scheme when entering the EU.

Next year will see changes in rules for people going to Europe on holidays and business trips with the introduction of the new permit. With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation , you will be able to enter 30 European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System. It's an electronic travel permit for going into 30 European countries.
People travelling into those countries will need to fill in an online application, available in 2024. Your ETIAS will not be a paper document like a visa but is an approval for travel that will be electronically linked to a person's passport. It will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. This means that if you get a new passport, you will also need to get a new ETIAS.

An ETIAS will cost seven euros per person - that's currently just over £6 in UK currency and people will be asked to pay by credit or debit card at the time of application. The fee is applicable to adults between the ages of 18 and 70. Others who are younger than 18 or older than 70 will not have to pay any fees.

You can use a passport when applying for it as long as it is "valid for more than three months after the intended date of departure from the territory of the European countries requiring ETIAS and should not be older than 10 years."

These 30 European countries require visa-exempt travellers to have an ETIAS travel authorisation. Members of these countries do not need a ETIAS

ETIAS countries:

• AUSTRIA
• BELGIUM
• BULGARIA
• CROATIA
• CYPRUS
• CZECH REPUBLIC
• DENMARK
• ESTONIA
• FINLAND
• FRANCE
• GERMANY
• GREECE
• HUNGARY
• ICELAND
• ITALY
• LATVIA
• LIECHTENSTEIN
• LITHUANIA
• LUXEMBOURG
• MALTA
• NETHERLANDS
• NORWAY
• POLAND
• PORTUGAL
• ROMANIA
• SLOVAKIA
• SLOVENIA
• SPAIN
• SWEDEN
• SWITZERLAND


Nationals of any of these visa-exempt countries need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation:

former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Andorra
United Arab Emirates
Antigua and Barbuda
Albania
Argentina
Australia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Barbados
Brunei
Brazil
Bahamas
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
Micronesia
Grenada
Georgia
Guatemala
Honduras
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Saint Kitts and Nevis
South Korea
Saint Lucia
Monaco
Moldova
Montenegro
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Malaysia
Nicaragua
Nauru
New Zealand
Panama
Peru
Palau
Paraguay
Serbia (excluding holders of Serbian passports issued by the Serbian Coordination Directorate (in Serbian: Koordinaciona uprava))
Solomon Islands
Seychelles
Singapore
San Marino
El Salvador
Timor-Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Holy See
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Venezuela
Vanuatu
Samoa

[boatman61]

That is for entry by commercial carrier.. yet to be seen if they will bring in a USA style B1/B2 style visa for entry by sea on a private vessel.

[nfbr]

Any info on how this affects boats?
USA ESTA is not valid for private boat entry.

[dlj]

I'm also interested what happens if one is in Europe when the regulations go into effect.

dj

[Senojev]

Originally Posted by boatman61

That is for entry by commercial carrier.. yet to be seen if they will bring in a USA style B1/B2 style visa for entry by sea on a private vessel.

Hi Boatman61

Can you cite specific wording that it applies only to commercial carrier as I could not find any?

Thanks

[sv_pelagia]

Originally Posted by dlj

I'm also interested what happens if one is in Europe when the regulations go into effect.

dj

Us too.

We plan to fly to Greece in December 2023, leave January 2024.

[Montanan]

FYI:

Yes one will need an ETIAS authorization to enter by non-commercial carrier, e.g., to drive across the border or by private vessel or airplane.

The ETIAS is NOT A VISA. It is an authorization to travel to the border only. No ticky, no laundry.

The rules of travel to Europe have changed. Starting from 2024, some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries are required to have a travel authorisation to enter most European countries.

ETIAS in a nutshell
ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries. It is linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.

With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.

Link: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/sy...0authorisation.


Snipets:

What is ETIAS?
What is the European Travel Information and Authorisation System
(ETIAS)?

In November 2016, the Commission proposed to establish a European
Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) to strengthen security
checks on those persons who travel visa-free to the EU, currently nationals
from over 60 countries.
ETIAS will be a largely automated IT system created to identify any
security or irregular migratory risks posed by visa-exempt visitors travelling
to the Schengen area, whilst at the same time facilitate crossing borders for
the vast majority of travellers who do not pose such risks. Non-EU nationals
who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area will have to apply for
a travel authorisation through the ETIAS system prior to their trip. The
information gathered via ETIAS will allow, in full respect of fundamental
rights and data protection principles, for advance verification of potential
security or irregular migration risks.
After filling in an online application form, the system will conduct checks
against EU information systems for borders and security and, in the vast
majority of cases, issue a travel authorisation within minutes. The ETIAS
travel authorisation will be a mandatory pre-condition for entry to the
Schengen area. It will be checked together with the travel documents by the
border guards when crossing the EU border. This prior verification of visa
exempt non-EU citizens will facilitate border checks; avoid bureaucracy and
delays for travellers when presenting themselves at the borders; ensure a
coordinated and harmonised risk assessment of third-country nationals; and
substantially reduce the number of refusals of entry at border crossing
points.

What is the difference between a Schengen visa and an ETIAS travel
authorisation?

The ETIAS authorisation is not a visa. Nationals of visa liberalisation
countries will continue to travel the EU without a visa but will simply be
required to obtain a travel authorisation via ETIAS prior to their travel.
ETIAS will be a simple, fast and visitor-friendly system, which will, in more
than 95% of cases, result in a positive answer within a few minutes.
An ETIAS travel authorisation does not reintroduce visa-like obligations.
There is no need to go to a consulate to make an application, no biometric
data is collected and significantly less information is gathered than during a
visa application procedure. Whereas, as a general rule, a Schengen visa
procedure can take up to 15 days, and can in some cases be extended up
to 30 or 60 days, the online ETIAS application only takes a few minutes to
fill in. Only in very exceptional cases, could the ETIAS procedure take up to
30 days. The validity will be for a period of three years, significantly longer
than the validity of a Schengen visa. An ETIAS authorisation will be valid for
an unlimited number of entries.
The ETIAS travel authorisation will be a necessary and small procedural
step for all visa-exempt travellers which will allow them to avoid
bureaucracy and delays when presenting themselves at the borders. ETIAS
will fully respect this visa-free status; facilitate the crossing of the Schengen
external border; and allow visa free visitors to fully enjoy their status.

What is the impact of ETIAS on the common visa policy?

Visa liberalisation is an important tool in building partnerships with third
countries and in increasing the attractiveness of the EU for business and
tourism. Mandatory advance verification and assessments of potential
security or irregular migration risks related to visa-exempt travellers through
ETIAS, while fully respecting their visa-free status, will help to safeguard
and complement the success of the EU's visa liberalisation policy. Adding
this layer of information and risk assessment will allow visitors to fully enjoy
their visa-free status, and at the same time enhance the security and safety
within the Schengen area. Travellers will also have an early indication of
their possible entry into the Schengen area, allowing them to better plan
their visit.
As visa liberalisation dialogues with third countries continue to progress,
ETIAS will strengthen the EU's capacity to assess and manage the potential
migration and security risks whilst at the same time facilitate the crossing of
the Schengen external borders.

How will ETIAS work in practice?
What will visa-exempt travellers have to do before their travel?

Travellers will have to complete an online application via a dedicated
website or an application for mobile devices. Filling in the application should
not take more than 10 minutes and should not require any documentation
beyond a travel document (a passport or other equivalent document). In
case of an inability to apply (due to age, literacy level, access to and
competence on information technology etc.) applications may be submitted
by a third person.
An electronic payment of a €7 fee for each application will be required for
all applicants between the ages of 18 and 70. The electronic payment
methods will take into account technological advancements in the visa-free
countries in order to avoid hindering visa-free third country nationals who
may not have access to certain payment means.
The automated assessment process will start after the fee collection is
confirmed.
The vast majority of applicants (expected to be more than 95%
of all cases) will be given automated approval which will be communicated
to them within minutes of payment. If there is a hit against any of the
searched databases or an undecided outcome of the automated process,
manual handling of the application will take place by a Central Unit in the
European Border and Coast Guard Agency or by a Member State team.
This can prolong the response time to the visa-exempt third country
national by up to 96 hours. In very exceptional circumstances further
information may be asked of applicants and further procedural steps may
be necessary, but in all cases a final decision shall be taken within four
weeks of their application.
Of the roughly 5% of applications which produce a hit, it is expected that 3-
4% will receive a positive decision after ETIAS Central Unit verifies the
data, with the remaining 1-2% being transferred to ETIAS National Units for
manual processing. After the decision applicants will be given a response
by email with a valid travel authorisation, or a justification for the refusal.


What happens if a person has been refused travel authorisation from
ETIAS?

If the travel authorisation is refused, the applicant retains the right to
appeal. Appeals can be launched in the Member State that has taken the
decision on the application and in accordance with the national law of that
Member State. The applicant will be informed which national authority is
responsible for the processing and decision on his or her travel
authorisation, as well as information regarding the procedure to be followed
in the event of an appeal. If the traveller considers their treatment to have
been unfair, he/she is also given the right to seek redress or request access
to the information through the national authority.

What is the validity of an ETIAS travel authorisation?

The validity of the travel authorisation will be three years (or until the expiry
date of the travel document).

What are the obligations for the carriers?

Prior to boarding, air and sea carriers, as well as carriers transporting
groups overland by coach will have to verify the status of the travel
document required for entering the Schengen Area, including the
requirement to hold a valid ETIAS travel authorisation. A transitional period
is foreseen for carriers transporting groups overland by coach during which
it will not be obligatory for them to check the presence of a valid travel
authorisation.


What will happen at the border crossing point?

Upon arrival at a Schengen area border crossing point, the border guard
will electronically read the travel document data, thereby triggering a query
to different databases, including a query to ETIAS in the case of visa exempt travellers. If there is no valid ETIAS travel authorisation, the border
guards will refuse entry and record the traveller and the refusal of entry in
the Entry Exit System.
If there is a valid travel authorisation, the border control process will be
conducted and the traveller may be authorised to enter the Schengen area
if all entry conditions are fulfilled or refused access as provided by the
Schengen Border Code.

On arrival at the border
As your ETIAS travel authorisation is linked to your travel document [e.g. your passport], make sure to carry the same document which you used in your ETIAS application. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to board your flight, bus or ship, or to enter any of the European countries requiring ETIAS.

Having a valid ETIAS travel authorisation does not guarantee an automatic right of entry. When you arrive at the border, border guards will verify that you meet the entry conditions. Those travellers who do not meet the entry conditions will be refused entry.



Can a travel authorisation be revoked?

Although the travel authorisation is valid for 3 years, it may be revoked or
annulled should the conditions for issuing the travel authorisation no longer
apply.

Closing information gaps and enhancing security
How will ETIAS address existing information gaps?

Currently, border and law enforcement authorities have little information on
travellers who are crossing the EU borders visa-free. This is not the case
for people travelling with a Schengen visa, whose information can be cross-checked by the border guards in the Visa Information System (VIS). By
ensuring that all visitors are checked prior to their arrival, ETIAS will
close an important information gap. It will help identify potential security or
irregular migration risks before visa-free travellers arrive at the EU border
and better monitor who is crossing the EU borders.

What databases will be checked by ETIAS?

When verifying and assessing the information submitted by visa-exempt
travellers, the system will automatically cross-check each application
against:
- the existing EU information systems:
o the Schengen Information System (SIS),
o the Visa Information System (VIS),
o Europol data,
o the Eurodac database (once the Eurodac recast is in place),
- future EU information systems:
o the Entry/Exit System (EES),
- Interpol databases:
o the Interpol Stolen and Lost Travel Document database (SLTD),
o the Interpol Travel Documents Associated with Notices database
(TDAWN),
- a dedicated ETIAS watch list and specific risk indicators.
Pending the finalisation of negotiations on the ETIAS consequential
amendments1
, ETIAS should in the future also be able to query ECRIS-TCNs.

What is the territorial scope of ETIAS?

The ETIAS Regulation applies to Member States that are part of the
Schengen area, including those which do not yet fully apply the Schengen
acquis, i.e. Croatia, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania.

When will ETIAS be ready?

ETIAS is expected to be operational by November 2023

[Montanan]

FYI:

Your ETIAS check-list


Apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation well in advance – before you buy your ticket or book your accommodation

Make sure your passport details exactly correspond to those in your ETIAS authorisation – you will be refused boarding and entry at the border if they do not match

Make sure your ETIAS travel authorisation is still valid

Check how long you can stay in the European countries requiring ETIAS

Make sure your passport is valid for three months after your intended departure from the European countries requiring ETIAS - you will be refused entry at the border if it is not (exceptions apply).

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Senojev

Hi Boatman61

Can you cite specific wording that it applies only to commercial carrier as I could not find any?

Thanks

You won't find it on the ESTA site either.. it applies to the masses, not the minorities.

[Montanan]

ESTA is the USA counterpart to ETIAS.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

ESTA was developed primarily due to 9/11.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Montanan

ESTA is the USA counterpart to ETIAS.

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

ESTA was developed primarily due to 9/11.

And... having one is no guarantee of entry on a one way ticket..

[leecea]

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while and I believe that Nov 2023 date is no longer valid. I am not aware of a new date, only that it will be sometime in 2024. It's very frustrating. We are traveling to the EU in Feb 2024 and worried there will be a last minute scramble to get these

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by boatman61

And... having one is no guarantee of entry on a one way ticket..

ESTA: mandatory round-trip air ticket to the United States
If you wish to travel to the United States, you should know that some There are criteria that must be met, including possession of airline (or boat) tickets that prove you are traveling for a maximum of 90 days. As you may have understood, a single ticket will not satisfy the U.S. government and you will be refused: you must have a round trip ticket for any stay in the United States.

A round trip ticket required for ESTA authorization, but not only
The American visa is often required for a trip to the USA. However, this is not a universal requirement, thanks for example to the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) set up by the American authorities. This system simplifies the process for citizens of 40 countries who just need to fill out an ESTA form in order to enter the United States. Please note: the online application is simple but does not guarantee a positive government response.

Several cumulative conditions must be met:

Purpose of the trip to the United States: tourism, transit or business
Duration of the trip: 90 consecutive days maximum
Have a biometric or electronic passport that is valid for the entire duration of your stay (otherwise, apply for a new passport)
Have a return or onward ticket, proving that you are not staying more than 90 days in the USA.

[Montanan]

Originally Posted by leecea

I've been keeping an eye on this for a while and I believe that Nov 2023 date is no longer valid. I am not aware of a new date, only that it will be sometime in 2024. It's very frustrating. We are traveling to the EU in Feb 2024 and worried there will be a last minute scramble to get these

The push back of the ETIAS launch means eligible travellers will not need to obtain an ETIAS until 2024. The EU previously stated their intention to launch the system in November 2023, yet this was not the date it was meant to be mandatory for travellers. Travellers were intended to be able to apply for ETIAS between May 2023 and November 2023, yet ETIAS approval was to be required from November 2023. However. with the recent update, it confirms ETIAS will be required starting sometime in 2024 and not in 2023.

The key remaining question: When in 2024?

[s/v Jedi]

I hope I live to see the day that governments, politicians are put back in their place to fix roads and assist the people instead of their parasitical ways of power hungry, war mongering, being a pita pest that they are now.