Travelers can expect it to take an average of 20 minutes to complete the application online. Apart from a valid passport, no additional documentation will be required, unless specifically requested. Applications made by third parties on behalf of an applicant will be accepted.
Visa Waiver Requirements
Applicants will be required to provide the following information and documents to qualify for an ETIAS visa waiver:
- Passport with a minimum validity of 3 months from the date of arriving
- Payment for the application fee (debit or credit card)
- Email address for the ETIAS to be sent
In addition to:
- Full name (as it appears on passport)
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Gender
- Answering a set of background and security questions. (This is a standard screening in Schengen entry requirement)
Applicants may also be required to provide include travel plans (including member state of the intended first entry and education and/or current employment details. Family members of EU citizens, or third country nationals, benefiting from free movement without residence cards, will be required to provide the identity and details of their familial relationship with the EU citizen/third country national.
Rejection Or Annulment Of ETIAS Travel Authorization
The program was designed to reinforce European Union security in 2 ways:
- Identifying anyone that poses a security risk before they arrive at the Schengen Area’s external border
- Giving national law enforcement authorities and Europol more information around prevention, detection, or investigation of a terrorist offense, or other serious criminal offenses
An ETIAS travel authorization will be canceled if there is reason to believe that it was obtained by providing misleading or fraudulent information. Applications that are rejected during the application process will be transferred to an ETIAS Central Unit in the European Border and Coast Guard. They will quickly verify the application and confirm if the information provided is correct and truthful.
What to Do if an Application is Denied
In the case of denial, the applicant may appeal to the member state that did not grant the visa waiver. Appeals are under the jurisdiction of the member state. There are special procedures for rare circumstances, this includes things similar to humanitarian grounds and issues of national interest, etc. If this is the situation, ETIAS National Units may issue a travel authorization with limited territorial and temporal validity.
The ETIAS National Unit may make a detailed request for more information and/or documentation from the applicant, if for example, the responsible ETIAS National Unit doesn’t feel it can make a decision. The applicant is required to provide this information and/or documentation within 7 business days. It will then take the ETIAS National Unit up to 72 hours to process the authorization. In some circumstances, the applicant may be required to undergo an interview at a consulate in their country of residence.
Frequently Asked Questions
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List of Eligible Countries
The list of eligible countries is subject to change, explore an up to date list of countries whose citizens will be eligible to apply for the ETIAS visa waiver when it is fully introduced in mid-2025.
Find Eligible Countries