New Travel Rules for Americans in Europe
Starting in 2021, Americans, as well as others from many other visa-free countries, will have to do a little more work before they can visit a number of European countries. Now, to get to countries like Germany, France and Spain just requires your US passport, but in just under two years, you will also need to apply to enter these and some other countries before setting off. In fact, the policy change was announced last summer , but more details on the program were revealed this week.
Curious what this means? Here’s a rundown of what you need to know:
Which countries does it affect:
A travel permit is required to travel to any Schengen country, including Austria , Belgium , Czech Republic , Denmark , Estonia , Finland , France , Germany , Greece , Hungary , Iceland , Italy , Latvia , Liechtenstein, Lithuania , Luxembourg, Malta , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Portugal , Slovakia , Slovenia , Spain , Sweden and Switzerland .
Is this a visa?
No. While a number of retail outlets have reported that you will need a visa to travel to Europe in 2021, this is actually not the case. All you have to do is simply apply for entry through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) and pay a small fee.
Why do they need it?
The aim of the program is to strengthen security checks for people who can enter the EU visa-free.
How much is it?
We don’t know the exact price of the app yet, but it won’t be overpriced. Current reports suggest it will cost roughly $ 7.
Can I get a waiver?
No. The European Commission claims that 95% of the time, approval will be granted “in minutes”. So for most, this is more of a formality than a cause for concern. According to the EC “There is no need to go to the consulate to submit an application, biometric data is not collected and significantly less information is collected than during the visa application procedure. While generally the procedure for obtaining a Schengen visa can take up to 15 days, and in some cases can be extended up to 30 or 60 days, completing the online ETIAS application takes only a few minutes. “
How long will this work?
Once approved, your ETIAS permit will be valid for three years and unlimited entries into the area.