Basic ETIAS visa waiver requirements
There will be some basic ETIAS requirements that travellers will need to meet to obtain an ETIAS visa waiver. Each applicant will need to be a citizen from one of the ETIAS eligible countries, complete the online application without inaccuracies or mistakes, and possess the following:
- A valid passport with at least three months remaining from the date of arrival.
- A debit or credit card to pay the ETIAS application fee.
- An up-to-date email address to receive the ETIAS visa waiver.
Visitors from ETIAS eligible countries must learn that an ETIAS is not a visa, but a visa waiver. This is a key distinction because it means that as of late 2022, once ETIAS is launched, visa-exempt countries will continue to have this condition.
Personal information required for ETIAS
Travellers will need to enter a range of personal information to complete the ETIAS application form. The required information will include:
- Personal information: e.g. full name, date of birth, place of birth, and gender.
- Contact details: e.g. address, email address, and phone number.
- Passport details: e.g. passport number, issue and expiry dates, and nationality.
- Travel plans: including the member state of the intended first entry.
There will also be some security-related questions regarding criminal activity and other sensitive background information, as well as questions regarding the health of applicants.
ETIAS eligible countries
There are currently more than 60 countries which will be eligible to apply for ETIAS. The list of countries may continue to grow in the future.
- Albania
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Argentina
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Canada
- Chile
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Dominica
- El Salvador
- Georgia
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Israel
- Japan
- Kiribati
- Macau
- Macedonia
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Montenegro
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Palau
- Panama
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent
- Samoa
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Timor Leste
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
- Uruguay
- Vanuatu
- Venezuela
Who will need ETIAS to visit Europe?
Whether or not a third-country citizen will be eligible for ETIAS depends on 3 key factors:
- Nationality
- Length of stay
- Purpose of the visit
To apply for ETIAS, travellers must hold a passport from one of the visa-exempt nations listed above. Citizens of more than 60 countries enjoy visa-free entry to the Schengen Area, such visitors will soon need to register online for a visa waiver.
ETIAS is valid for multiple stays in the Schengen Area of up to 90 days per 180-day period and is therefore suitable for short trips to Europe.
Finally, the purposes of stay covered by ETIAS are tourism, business, short-term medical treatment and transit. To visit the Schengen Area for other reasons, such as to work in a European country, a different permit is required.
As there are no internal borders in the common travel area, the same ETIAS visa waiver can be used to visit any of the 26 countries, within the 90-day limit and for the purposes specified by the regulation.
Who needs a Schengen visa to visit Europe?
Foreign citizens from non-exempt third countries still need to obtain a Schengen Visa. Like ETIAS, Schengen visa holders must follow the 90/180 rule and can move throughout the common travel zone using the permit.
The main difference between ETIAS and the Schengen visa is the application process. ETIAS is fully online and quick to apply for, requiring just a few personal and passport details.
Schengen visas, on the other hand, are requested at an embassy or consulate. There are additional requirements when applying for a visa such as evidence of health insurance and financial means.