Traveling to European Union means the beaches and historic cities of Spain, and the wines and food of France. It is all about the Greek islands and the Roman treasures of Italy and more. Up until now, travelers from non-EU countries needed a visa to visit, but this is set to change in May 2023. In fact, visiting EU bloc countries will involve a charge for non-EU travelers to visit. Read on to find out more about the visa waiver scheme, ETIAS.

European Union introduces ETIAS visa waiver scheme

Right now, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the chaos of flights being canceled, travelers are likely not looking forward to any bad news. It has been a long time coming, but the European Union has finally announced the launch of its visa waiver scheme, ETIAS, set to debut in May 2023.

ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System and was originally planned to start in late 2022. While ETIAS isn’t the same as a visa, there is still a procedure to follow. Moreover, there is also a cost to acquire it, in much the same way as the United States’ scheme ESTA.

According to the official website, the European Union has created this program to “protect and strengthen its borders.” The main goal of ETIAS for Europe is to identify possible threats or risks associated with visitors traveling to any of the Schengen Area countries.

While getting a visa can sometimes take a bit of work, applying for ETIAS will apparently be much quicker. In fact, it can be done online and requires no biometric information.

Who is exempt from the ETIAS scheme?

Citizens of the European Union already have freedom of movement around the bloc, and they are exempt from the new scheme. This allows them to spend as much time as they please in all the EU countries. Meanwhile, residents of the European Union will also be exempt from the new scheme. This is one of the many benefits of being a member of the EU, a privilege the UK gave up in early 2020.

However, for anyone traveling to the EU bloc from a country that didn’t previously require a visa, the ETIAS will be obligatory. According to CNN Travel, this affects around 60 countries around the world, including the US and the UK. However, for those travelers coming from countries that previously needed a visa to enter the EU, nothing changes.

ETIAS application

A new memo issued by the EU states that the ETIAS application process will be via a “largely automated IT system.” In fact, the process will reportedly be quick and painless. The memo states that approval is granted “within minutes” for around 95 percent of applicants.

Meanwhile, in “very exceptional cases,” the application process would take up to a month for approval. Moreover, any traveler whose application is denied will have the right to appeal.

Validity of ETIAS

There is one distinct advantage of the new scheme. ETIAS authorization will be valid for an unlimited number of entries over a period of three years. However, travelers must abide by EU immigration and overstay rules and regulations. Right now, third-party nationals cannot stay longer than 90 days anywhere in the EU bloc for each 180-day period.

As for the cost, those aged from 18 to 70 will need to pay €7 ($7.35) for ETIAS. It is unclear whether those outside that age range will have a reduced rate, or be able to travel for free. Meanwhile, by comparison, travelers pay $21 for an ESTA authorization.

Currently, the EU hasn’t provided an exact start for the new ETIAS system. However, travelers should expect it to be introduced in May 2023.