In just less than 2 years, January 1, 2021, to be exact all Americans will be required to have a pre-screening visa waiver in order to visit Europe. As it stands right now in 2019, Americans do NOT need a visa to visit any European countries if their visit is less than 90 days. All that will change in 2021 when Americans will be required to apply for the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) visa waiver. Here is everything you need to know about these changes, including how to apply for the ETIAS. If you’re one of our Canadian neighbors reading this, it applies to you too!

There have been a ton of articles floating around the past few days with information related to the ETIAS, some are not clarifying that the ETIAS is actually a prescreening visa waiver program.  Here’s everything you need to know about it. It is also very important to note that there is not yet an official government ETIAS site, beware of the 3rd party ETIAS sites around and do not give your personal information out to these sites.

It’s important to note that the ETIAS will only apply to visits in 26 of the European countries in the Schengen Zone. This includes countries such as Germany, Italy, France and Iceland. If you’re planning to visiting just the U.K. you will not need to apply for the ETIAS.

This new requirement, originally introduced in 2016, comes as a result of strengthening European security due to the increase in terrorism and illegal immigrants. Surely the revenue generated from the ETIAS visa was likely part of the decision as well. The ETIAS visa is very similar to the ESTA visa which European citizens need in order to visit the United States.

Here’s how it will work:

Need to Know
The ETIAS will be valid for 3 years and you will not need to apply for each new European country you plan to visit.  It is good for multiple visits within the 3 years. All U.S. citizens, including minors will need to apply for the ETIAS.

What You Need to Apply
– A valid U.S. passport
– A credit or debit card
– An email address

You’ll need to provide:
-Full name
-Date and place of birth
-Current address
-Parents’ information
-Passport and other nationality details

You’ll also need to be prepared to answer security questions related to the following:
-Drug use
-Terrorism
-Human trafficking
-Travel to conflict areas
-Criminal history
-Employment history
-Past European travel information
-Security information

If your application is denied you will have the opportunity to appeal according to the ETIAS website.

How to Apply
The process will be pretty painless, after you gather your above documents you can apply online. You’ll need to enter your personal information as well as answer a few basic security questions. You will not be required to make any in person appointments and you will receive your ETIAS visa within a relatively short period of time. As of 2019 the costs for the ETIAS are unknown.

Gone are the days of booking a last minute deal to Europe, or are they? It’s unclear at this time just how long it will take to have your ETIAS processed, but from the research I’ve done it sounds like it will be almost immediate. This all sounds like a big change, but I believe it’s actually a positive. The ETIAS requirement will likely improve security and our safety while visiting European countries. It will also inject quite a bit of money back into the European economy and tourism in general.


I hope you’ve found this guide to the ETIAS helpful. Do you think this will change your travel plans? Share your thoughts below.

Americans will now need a visa to visit Europe – Here’s everything you need to know about the ETIAS visa