A friend just sent me this article. If I understand it correctly, starting the end of 2022 we will need to apply for this visa to travel to Europe.
Have any of you seen this?
Posted by
Uppsala, Sweden
7052 posts
The plan was to introduce it starting this year, but it has been delayed. No date has been set but as far I understand the target is late 2022. As soon as a date has been set and the system is up an running, there will be more information available.
If you want to read more, visit: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/smart-borders/etias_en
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16621 posts
Yes, it has been travel news for awhile now, as has the website you linked, Sue It originally was supposed to go into effect in 2021 but was extended. It is similar to the ESTA document required of travelers eligible to enter the United States by air or sea under the visa-waiver program, and is NOT a visa.
Some of the previous threads on the subject:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/etias-visa-57cf9988-14e3-46ad-b885-fd2532750ea0
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/etias-visa
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/etias-european-travel-information-and-authorization-system
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/u-s-citizens-will-need-to-register-to-travel-to-europe-starting-in-2021
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/new-required-travel-document-for-europe
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/transportation/u-s-a-passports
Posted by
Seattle, WA
17562 posts
The linked website says it will be required “from the end of 2022” but no exact date.
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33998 posts
the site in the original post is not the official site - it is commercial
Posted by
Paris
10288 posts
The ETIAS is not a visa — and not yet implemented.
Is it the equivalent of the ESTA that that U.S. requires of travelers who qualify for visa-free travel to the United States (such as my Italian husband when we go to the States). He fills out his form, pays his $11 or whatever it costs, and then they almost simultaneously email him back his approved ESTA, good for two years. ****It’s just the EU putting in place something that the U.S. has been requiring of Europeans for 12 years (since 2009).
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8124 posts
The EITAS has a long history actually, going back to at least 2016 in it's current form, discussed frequently before that. It is the Zombie topic of European travel, every once in a while, during slow news cycles, CNN or a travel Blog will put out an article...warning travelers, calling it a Visa, usually with a dire headline and confusing text, then causing a buzz on boards like this.
As others stated, it is not a Visa, but it is officially the "EITAS Visa Waiver"...the "waiver" part often gets dropped. It is mainly seen as a tit-for-tat on the ESTA system that the US requires of European (among others) travelers, but in reality, both have some value.
The value is, that it is advance notice of a person visiting, with additional questions asked about criminal activity, employment, travel history, etc. all things you can be asked at entry, but early notice gives authorities a chance to verify if they wish, or at the least, point out problems with information given.
The Schengen countries keep putting off implementation, you can probably find a bookie in London posting odds as to whether the "end of 2022" date will slip. If they ever do implement, then it will just be another step to take, it might reduce concerns if my passport expiration is OK, or if my 5 year old jaywalking arrest will keep me out of Europe, nothing to worry about though.