ETIAS – European Travel Information And Authorization System

The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is a new visa waiver program that has been created by the European Union to protect EU borders.

The reasons that brought to the creation of the ETIAS are basically the possibility to identify possible threats and risks associated with visitors traveling to the Schengen area.

The system will enter into full force on 2021, and by that date all visitors who currently do not need a visa to enter the Schengen area for tourism or business purposes shall apply for the ETIAS authorization to be able to enter a Schengen member country.

ETIAS countries are the 26 members of the Schengen area, among which 22 are members of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Czech Republic and Malta) and 4 belong to the European Free Trade Association (Iceland,