St. Mark’s basilica in Venice is one place U.S. passport holders may not be able to get to without approval under the new ETIAS requirements.
Already thinking about next summer’s vacation plans? If Europe is on your short list, there could be one extra step to take before boarding that plane. Starting in 2024, American passport holders traveling to 30 European countries will need authorization via the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
While some media outlets are taking a cue from the European Union’s travel site and calling this a visa, in truth, ETIAS is more like a travel authorization form. “It’s definitely not a visa,” said Dan Hamilton, a senior non-resident fellow for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution. “It’s an electronic entry-point, an authorization for countries that are currently visa-free.”
These new requirements have been years in the making, stemming back to a rise in terrorism fears following 9/11. It’s very similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization — or ESTA — program that the U.S. implemented in 2008. At the heart of ETIAS is an electronic database system to better track who’s coming and going. According to the EU’s latest report on terrorism data, EU law enforcement authorities arrested about 388 suspects for terror-related offenses in 2021, more than half of whom were accused of being associated with Jihadist groups based abroad.
The European Union’s website says the new authorization will start in 2024 but hasn’t clarified a specific date. A press spokesperson for the union’s travel arm did not respond to NPR’s request for information. And, similarly, a spokesperson for the State Department told NPR that the U.S. government website for international travel (travel.state.gov) would be updated “once the regulation goes into effect,” but didn’t specify when that would be.
Basically, all passport holders from 60 countries who can currently travel to most European destinations without a visa — and that includes American passport holders — will now need to get ETIAS authorization for the same trip.
The application isn’t open yet, but the European Union says that when it is, all necessary forms can be filled out via a web portal or mobile phone application. You’ll be asked to share personal information such as your date of birth, parents’ names, and details about your current occupation and previous criminal convictions. You’ll also need to share a passport that is not set to expire in less than three months. Oh, and you’ll have to pay a fee of 7 euros (about $8).
If you want to play it safe, apply well in advance of your trip — no later than a month out. ETIAS says most applications “are processed within minutes” and decisions are delivered within four days. But that wait could take up to 14 days if you are requested to supply additional information and up to 30 days if you’re invited to interview. Those denied an application can appeal, but that process could be even lengthier. The European Union says ETIAS approval will stay valid for three years or until the passport you used in your application expires.
Your ETIAS approval will be linked to your passport. So without it, airport security (or cruise, bus or train line staff) won’t let you board. In other words, you can kiss that dream vacation goodbye.