Starting in 2024, people
from more than 60 visa-free countries will need to get a travel authorisation
before coming to Europe for a brief stay. The authorisation will be processed through
the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
ETIAS will further
strengthen Europe’s internal security by carrying pre-travel screening of
visa-free travellers to determine whether they pose a security, illegal
immigration, or public health risk.
The entire ETIAS ecosystem
is complex and consists of the ETIAS Central Unit hosted by Frontex, ETIAS
National Units located in 30 European countries, and the large-scale information
system developed and maintained by eu-LISA.
For more information, visit the official ETIAS website.
Before travelling
Citizens of over 60
visa-free countries will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation before
heading to any of the 30 European countries shown on the map below.
What is ETIAS (europa.eu)
The ETIAS system will
check the information provided by the applicant with data already stored in
other EU systems such as the Schengen Information System (SIS), Visa
Information System (VIS) and Entry/Exit System (EES). If the application raises
any concerns, it will be reviewed by the ETIAS Central Unit and sent to the
relevant ETIAS National Unit for final decision.
It is expected that most
applications (about 97%) will be approved automatically within minutes. The
remaining 3% will be reviewed manually by the ETIAS Central Unit and the National
Units.
Travellers who do not
have a valid travel authorisation will be refused boarding by the carrier (for
example, an airline, bus or ferry company).
At the border
When a visa-free
traveller arrives at a border of one of the 30 European countries requiring
ETIAS, border guards will scan their travel document data electronically and
register them in the EES, triggering a query to ETIAS. If the traveller has a valid
travel authorisation, they will be able to cross the border if all other entry
conditions are also fulfilled.
More information about
what ETIAS means for travellers from visa-free countries can be found on the official ETIAS website.
The role of Frontex in
ETIAS
Frontex plays an
important role in establishing and managing ETIAS by hosting the ETIAS Central
Unit, which will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to handle ETIAS
applications and help travellers and carriers.
The ETIAS Central Unit is
also responsible for identifying risks, risk indicators and screening rules.
These will be used to assess travellers in terms of illegal immigration,
security and high epidemic risks. The Unit’s responsibilities also include managing
the content of the official ETIAS website, as well as ensuring that the information
stored in the system is accurate and up to date.
Fundamental rights and
ETIAS
The protection of
fundamental rights is at the core of all ETIAS operations.
The ETIAS Fundamental
Rights Guidance Board has been set up to assess the impact of processing
applications and the screening rules on fundamental rights.
The Guidance Board is
composed of representatives of the Frontex Fundamental Rights Office, the
Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights of Frontex, the European Data Protection
Supervisor, the European Data Protection Board, and the European Union Agency
for Fundamental Rights.
As an independent
advisory body, the Fundamental Rights Guidance Board will regularly carry out
evaluations and make recommendations to the ETIAS Screening Board regarding its
work, particularly regarding privacy, data protection and non-discrimination. The
ETIAS Central Unit will consult the opinion of the ETIAS Screening Board to
ensure that risk screening is carried out in full respect for fundamental
rights.
Important
notice: The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is
currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are
collected at this point.