ETIAS for Europe

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is an online pre-travel authorization. It is not a visa: it is a digital travel permission linked to your passport, similar in concept to the US ESTA or the Australian ETA.

It is required for citizens of countries that are currently eligible to enter the Schengen Area without a traditional visa. Once launched, it will be required before boarding any flight, ferry or train to a participating European country.

The ETIAS application will be fully online, requiring no embassy visit or biometric appointment, and is expected to be processed within minutes in most cases. Once approved, it covers an unlimited number of entries into the Schengen Area, each for a maximum stay of 90 days within any 180-day period, and is valid for 3 years.

ETIAS is expected to launch in late 2026. Until then, eligible travelers can continue to enter the Schengen Area without any prior authorization. However, the EES biometric border registration already applies to all non-EU travelers on arrival.

• Multiple entries: yes.
• Validity: 3 years.
• Maximum visit: 90 days within any 180-day period.
• Requirements: valid passport.
• Eligible countries: all nationalities currently eligible for visa-free entry to the Schengen Area. Includes the US, most South American countries, European countries that are neither EU nor Schengen members and Asian countries like Singapore or Japan, among others.

Not eligible for an ETIAS? Learn more about the Schengen visa