Key Points
- Third country nationals who are not required to get a visa to enter will be required to apply for entry through the European Travel Information Authorization System (ETIAS) starting in early 2022.
- The cost of the application through ETIAS is 7 EUR. Children and people over 60 years old will not have to pay the fee.
- The applications are expected to be processed within 72 hours.
- Travelers may be denied boarding on air and sea carriers if they do not have the approval once these changes are implemented in 2022.
Overview
The European Union is expected to implement changes near the end of 2022 to their automated border checks for third country nationals entering or exiting external borders. Upon entry, the system will be able to calculate the length of authorized short stays for third country nationals who don’t need an entry visa. The system is expected to issue an alert if there is no recorded exit after the duration of authorized stay is up.
What are the Changes?
The ETIAS system will bridge the information gap for visa-free nationals looking to enter the Schengen area.
Source: ETIAS For Europe
