The European Union (“EU”) has announced that rules of travel to member countries of the EU will change in mid-2025, impacting close to 1.4 billion people from visa-exempt countries, including U.S. citizens.
Under a program known as “ETIAS”—European Travel Information and Authorisation System—which is similar to the U.S. “ESTA” program—Electronic System for Travel Authorization—citizens of the U.S. and other visa-exempt countries will be allowed to enter Europe for short-term stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Before traveling, travelers must complete an ETIAS application via the ETIAS website. Authorization is valid for three years—however, an approved traveler is not guaranteed admission upon each entry, as border officials will be given discretion to verify whether one meets all entry conditions.
These 30 European countries will require ETIAS entry documents by mid-2025:
- 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
ETIAS Application Information
ETIAS applications will be available at ETIAS - European Union (europa.eu) but are not yet active.
To apply, travelers need passports and travel documents that will not expire within three (3) months of presentation and are not more than ten (10) years old.
Travel documents that do not comply with international standards may be rejected during the online application process and, if not verified by carriers, including air or rail lines, may also hinder issuance of an ETIAS entry to foreign nationals.
Regarding fees and processing times, it is expected that the ETIAS application fee will be 7 Euro (about $8.00) per person, and processing will be completed within minutes. Some applications may take longer to process and additional information could be requested, perhaps via personal interviews. Denials may also result, with the ability to appeal.
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