The ETIAS explained…………

Not sure if you have heard the news, but starting in May 2025 Americans will need what is called an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) approval before entering into 30 European countries.

So what does this all mean and how will it affect your travels in the future? Here are some quick answers and helpful links to all your European travel authorization questions:

It’s NOT a Visa

First of all, its a travel authorization and not a Visa. It is similar to the system that the US has in place for other country nationals and it is for short-term travel (under 90 days) within a 180 day period and the approval is good for three years.

They aren’t trying to limit tourism

I thought this myself, quite frankly, but it simply isn’t true. The Europeans are trying to keep better track of who is coming into their countries…just like we do in the U.S.

Which Countries will require it?

Not ALL European countries will be impacted by these requirements (United Kingdom and Ireland for example are not on the list). Here is a list of the 30 countries that will be impacted. It does include popular destinations like Italy, France Spain and Iceland!

How and when does one apply?

Well, if you plan to use me as your travel advisor, I will walk you through all these steps as we plan your trip together. Otherwise, you can apply online as soon as the application is available and required. It will cost about $8 and you can pay by credit card after filling in all the necessary information.

While it is highly unlikely that you will be rejected, it is best to check in before booking any hotels or flights in 2025 to make sure you can apply and if so, do it as soon as possible and definitely no later than a month out from your travel date.

When exactly is it going into affect?

Your guess is as good as mine, (the official Schengen website on this topic has now moved the date out to May 2025) but as many of my clients are traveling to Europe, I will be keeping a close tabs on this one! The US state department website travel.state.gov will also be updating information on Europe travel as soon as it goes into affect.

You can also check out the Schengen Visa info site for more information.

Happy travels and remember if you need help in managing all these new requirements and keeping track of your travel plans, you can always reach out and set up a Discovery Call with me and we’ll get you on your way!