ETIAS: a virtual border around EU and Schengen countries

So far, American citizens can travel to the EU for up to 90 days at a time without obtaining a permit. Even re-entry is possible after a brief waiting period. In short, the US passport gets you a green light on your way to the EU, as it does almost everywhere else in the world.

In the opposite direction, things aren’t going so creaseless, as visitors to the United States must fill out an ESTA application and pay a fee before entering the country. As a European, you can only get past the strict border guards of U.S. Customs and Border Protection with an approved ESTA, US visa, or a Green Card.

With ETIAS, Europe is jumping on the bandwagon. The EU is about to strengthen the virtual security lines along the EU and Schengen borders starting in 2024. A much-discussed side effect: ETIAS will also redress the imbalance in entry requirements between the USA and Europe.

Nuisance or necessity? US citizens argue against ETIAS

ETIAS stands for “European Travel Information and Authorization System.” The new scheme aims to protect the EU and the Schengen area against identity fraud, terrorism, and other serious crimes.

For many visitors from the USA, however, ETIAS appears as an attack on their freedom. After all, globe-trotting Americans will soon have to complete an online form with numerous questions and pay a fee before being allowed to explore Europe.

USA expert and immigration consultant Holger Zimmermann calls off the alarms: "The ETIAS fee will be only €7, the completion will take 10 minutes, and the approval will come in the blink of an eye, at the latest after 96 hours".

As CEO of The American Dream, a Germany-based Green Card Agency, Zimmermann has been observing international travel and visa relations between the US and Europe for more than 25 years: "ETIAS travelers will roam around just like ESTA travelers, with little time and money investment but more security in return. If you ask me, it’s a good deal!"

ETIAS will be launched in 2024

In contrast to ESTA, which exempted many travelers from the US visa requirement in 2009, the new ETIAS introduces an additional level of approval for visa-free visitors. The application form will ask for personal information, passport data, the applicant’s professional situation, travel history, and answers about one’s biography (e.g., criminal record).

The introduction of ETIAS and the accompanying Entry/Exit System (EES) has been promoted by the European Union since 2018 and has already been postponed several times. As the global security situation changes, ETIAS is seen as an essential step to a more secure travel environment in the European Union and the Schengen area.