ESTA Europe
The feeling of insecurity in Europe has recently pushed MEPs from the European Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee to adopt a new control of travelers. Long desired by Germany and France, these new measures are directly inspired by the US ESTA and the Canadian ESTA .
ETIAS: the European ESTA
The EU Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is a new travel requirement that will be mandatory. ESTA image for the United States, ETIAS is not a visa but a travel authorization procedure to move freely in the Schengen Area. We find similarities between the two:
- Verification of the information provided by the traveler: identity, passport number, residence address, contact information (telephone number, e-mail address) …
- Automated processing of the application according to the criteria of the country of entry;
- Length of stay not to exceed 90 days maximum;
- Answer provided within 72 hours.
The slight differences are:
- ETIAS is valid for 3 years (whereas ESTA is valid for 2 years);
- The ETIAS procedure will cost € 10 and will be mandatory for all travelers, but will be free for minors.
- If the answer is negative, an e-mail with the reason for the refusal will be sent.
European ESTA: for whom?
ETIAS is intended for nationals of countries that do not need to obtain a visa to travel in the Schengen Area, this includes the following countries:
| Albania | Andorra | Antigua and Barbuda | Argentina | Australia |
| Bahamas | Barbados | Bosnia and Herzegovina | Brazil | Brunei |
| Canada | Chile | Colombia | Costa Rica | Dominica |
| Salvador | Grenade | Guatemala | Honduras | Hong Kong |
| Israel | Japan | Kiribati | South Korea | Macao |
| Macedonia | Malaysia | Marshall Islands | Mauritius | Mexico |
| Micronesia | Moldova | Montenegro | New Zealand | Nicaragua |
| Palau | Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Saint Kitts and Nevis |
| St. Lucia | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Samoa | Serbia | Seychelles |
| Singapore | Solomon Islands | Taiwan | East Timor | Tonga |
| Trinidad and Tobago | Tuvalu | England | Uruguay | Vanuatu |
| Venezuela |
The ESTA in its European version will therefore require travelers to declare their stay to the European authorities if they wish to enter through one of the following Schengen Area countries:
| Germany | Austria | Belgium | Denmark |
| Spain | Estonia | Finland | France |
| Greece | Hungary | Iceland | Italy |
| Latvia | liechtenstein | Lithuania | Luxembourg |
| Malta | Norway | Netherlands | Poland |
| Portugal | Slovakia | Slovenia | Sweden |
| Swiss | Czech republic |