Visa exempt third country nationals will as from 2020 be required to apply for travel authorization through the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) as the EU moves to improve and speed up border controls within the bloc. The application system is designed to be rapid, efficient and easy to complete
39 million visa-free travellers from more than 60 countries are expected to visit the EU in 2020. A new system should deal with these travellers. It’s called ETIAS: the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. Non-EU foreign citizens who want to come to EU countries will need to apply for travel authorisation before they arrive. It will be an easy process they have to go through, just an online check which they can do prior to travelling to the European Union.
Here’s how ETIAS is expected to work: travellers fill in an online form and pay a €7 fee. People under 18 and over 70 won’t have to pay. The application is automatically processed. It looks at personal data, travel documents, and answers to background questions,like destination and contact information. The application is then checked against security databases. If the person poses a migration or epidemic risk or a threat to security, access could be refused. ETIAS authorisation should be valid for up to 3 years. The most important thing is to provide security and to secure our citizens. This pre-travel screening should not cause hassle to travellers but rather save their time and above all lead to a safer Europe.
