By the beginning of next year, travellers from above 60 countries globally who currently travel to the Schengen Area without a visa will be required to apply for travel authorization. This will allow them to enter any Member State of the Schengen Area.
Even though the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System(ETIAS) has been postponed severally in the past, reports show that this is not likely to happen next year. Therefore, travellers must prepare to apply for the ETIAS come next year.
Even though the European Union has undertaken several steps to inform citizens from 3rd world countries who will require an ETIAS, more information is still planned before the year ends. The EU aims to enlighten the citizens on important things such as fees, application procedures, months and the system.
However, most travellers remain confused about how ETIAS will affect them and its objectives. For instance, misleading media interpretations and reporting on ETIAS, usually done intentionally, have caused confusion among citizens who want to stay updated on the latest news. Check out some important things you should know about ETIAS.
Schengen Visa Applicants Will Not Be Affected by ETIAS
Generally, a traveller from over 90 countries in the world who currently require a Schengen visa to travel to the 27 Schengen areas will not need an ETIAS. These travellers usually apply the visa to travel for short-term periods and reasons such as visiting family members, business and tourism.
However, if your country gets liberalization after the commencement of ETIAS, that is when you will substitute Schengen visas with an ETIAS. For example, the Council of EU has promised to grant Kosovo visa-free entry after the system becomes effective. Thus, they will apply for an ETIAS.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System is Not a Visa
When the European Union was still working on the EU regulations, many suspicious websites and media claimed that ETIAS was a new type of visa. This worried citizens of over 60 countries enjoying visa-free entry into the Schengen Area as they thought they would need to apply for a visa. An ETIAS includes a visa waiver program where all travellers will be pre-screened before entry into the Schengen Zone.
You will only need to complete an ETIAS online application form and wait for its approval. The ETIAS program is under the EU visa-free program for persons like Albanians, Americans, Bosnians, Britons etc.
Many Other Countries Apply Similar Schemes
The European Union is not the first country to introduce such a scheme. Other countries such as Canada, Australia and the US have implemented similar systems for almost identical purposes. For instance, since 2007, the US has had the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation(ESTA) under the United States Visa Waiver Program.
ETIAS is A Security Measure and not a “Brexit Revenge.”
Unfortunately, most British tabloids have tried to explain the establishment of ETIAS as a revenge action for Brexit. However, this is not true. Even though the proposal for the Brexit referendum in the UK for exiting the EU and the creation of the ETIAS took place in the same year, they are not related. Instead, the scheme aims to help the EU countries minimize entry procedures at external borders.
