The ETIAS for nationals of Argentina is an online visa waiver system that grants Argentine passport holders entry to the Schengen Area – an open borders region of 26 European countries.
Beginning in 2022, citizens of 60 countries around the world, including Argentina, will have to register with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in order to travel to countries within the Schengen Area.
Will Argentine citizens need a visa for Europe?
No, the ETIAS authorisation eliminates the need for a visa for Argentinian citizens who wish to enter any Schengen country for short periods of time and eligible purposes.
The visa waiver for Europe is expected to go live in late 2022. From that moment, it will be necessary for Argentinians and other eligible foreign visitors to register with the ETIAS system to obtain permission for entry. However, a grace period may follow the ETIAS launch to allow travellers to ease into the transition.
It is important to note that ETIAS is not a visa. Rather, it is a waiver that allows Argentine nationals to travel visa-free, provided that they register with the system online.
Argentinians who need to stay in Europe for long periods of time or for purposes other than the ones that allow visa-free travel will have to get a relevant Schengen visa. Non-ETIAS travel reasons include, for example, working or looking for work in Europe.
Is the ETIAS visa waiver required for Argentinians?
Argentina is on the list of 60 countries whose citizens are eligible to apply for a European ETIAS visa waiver. Argentinian nationals can fill out an online application form with their details and receive their visa waiver within a matter of minutes. Since it saves the travellers trips to a local embassy or consulate in order to obtain a traditional visa, it ends up being a more convenient process.
The ETIAS visa waiver allows Argentinian travellers a stay of 90-days within a given 180-day period. Those who leave Europe before the 90-days are up and wish to re-enter Europe before the 180-day time frame, will not need to re-apply for the ETIAS travel permit as they are allowed multiple entries on a single waiver.
Please note: although ETIAS is not a visa, it will become mandatory for relevant travellers like Argentinians to enter Europe starting from late 2022.
What are the pre-requisites for the ETIAS visa waiver application?
The European authorities have set certain ETIAS visa waiver requirements for Argentinian travellers to meet so that they can successfully apply for the ETIAS visa waiver. These include:
- Valid Argentinian passport which has a validity that extends at least 3 months after the trip
- Valid email address where the ETIAS visa waiver will be sent
- Valid debit or credit card associated with a bank account that can be used to make online payments
Argentinian nationals may need to renew their passport before applying for the ETIAS visa waiver if their passport does not meet the required validity needed for applying.
Applying for the ETIAS visa waiver from Argentina
To apply for the ETIAS visa waiver, Argentinian citizens will need to complete an online application form. They will be required to list details such as:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Country of citizenship
- Gender
- Passport information
- Contact details
- Travel itinerary
Argentine visitors may be required to provide detailed plans regarding their intended trip to Europe as well as other pertinent details regarding their health and security.
It is important to note that applicants are expected to be as accurate as possible when filling out the online ETIAS visa waiver application form. Failure to do so can set them back in their travel plans. Incorrect or misleading information can cause delays in the processing of the ETIAS visa waiver application and create grounds for the visa waiver to be denied.
Travellers will get the opportunity to correct any erroneous information they have entered before they submit the application form. Since there is a processing fee associated with completing the application process, Argentine citizens will need to use a valid credit/debit card in order to make the payment.
Why will Argentinias need to apply for ETIAS?
Europe is one of the top travel destinations in the world and authorities are working on making travel to the continent easier and safer for all visitors, including Argentinians.
They have been looking at ways to allow people to enter Europe and move freely around the Schengen Area while also strengthening the security of their borders. The ETIAS visa waiver will allow European authorities to identify potential security risks before they occur in order to preserve the safety and integrity of the region.
Argentinians and other visitors who apply for the ETIAS visa waiver can be screened before they enter Europe using the information they provide on the application form. This information is then cross-referenced against international security databases like Europol and Interpol to identify any risk factors before granting the travel authorisation. It is ultimately designed to provide a safer way for people to visit Schengen countries.
Travelling to Europe from Argentina
The ETIAS visa waiver applications are usually processed within a few minutes and applicants receive their travel authorisations via email. Argentinian visitors that have been granted a visa waiver need to print out a copy to take with them to the European port of entry. Border officials will check the waiver against the information they have and that shown on the traveller’s other documents to verify their authorisation for entry.
In certain cases, the processing of the ETIAS visa waiver may take longer than expected especially if there is any additional processing required on the application. If the Argentinian citizen’s application has not been approved, they will receive an email that explains the reason why they were not granted a visa waiver. The email will also outline the process by which the traveller may appeal the decision that was made regarding their application.
Argentinian national should note that the appeal will have to be made to the country they stated they would enter from and the ultimate decision in the matter will be decided based on the laws of that country.
A refused ETIAS does not mean denied entry into Europe. It may just mean that a traditional visa is required for the visitors’ intended travel plans.