Note: this article on the new entry permit to Europe was first published in May 2022. The start date for ETIAS has since been postponed more than once. For the current timetable, see our update on the ETIAS delay.
The European Union has approved the agreement between its member states under which tourists coming to Europe will need an entry permit, and will have to pay a fee, before they can travel in most countries on the continent. The original plan set the start for May 2023. This is no visa to Europe in the sense we know from the laborious process of obtaining entry approval for the United States. It is an electronic form, and the obligation to fill it in applies to Israel and to 63 other countries, among them the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Australia, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil.
How the entry permit to Europe works
Registration is meant to be quick and simple, through a digital form in which the applicant answers a few questions: personal details, family, employment and medical status and some further information. In most cases a positive answer arrives within a few minutes, and within 72 hours at most. With it you have permission to enter Europe for up to 90 days for tourism and business trips.
Why is it being introduced?
ETIAS is a security clearance. Its purpose is to screen uncontrolled migration into Europe’s borders, with the emphasis on people with a criminal record. Make sure you complete the questionnaire properly from start to finish, because any omission may delay approval. It sounds like a tightening of conditions, but in all likelihood only people with a problematic past will be refused, so most of us have nothing to worry about.
The fee
The fee is paid during the process. When the scheme was approved it was set at 7 euros per person; check the current amount before you apply. The system is rather like the one used by European passport holders travelling to the United States, who do not need a visa in advance but must register beforehand with the immigration authorities.
Which countries will require the form?
The full list of countries whose entry policy will depend on completing the form: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
For how long you may stay once you are in, read our guide to the Schengen 90-day rule, and for similar schemes elsewhere see countries that require a travel authorisation.
