Europe launches ETIAS as ESTA-like requirement for travelers

The European Union will implement, from May 2023, the ETIAS permit for travelers of different nationalities, including those who will enter with a U.S. passport. This new measure has the same objective as ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

ETIAS is the new European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) and is processed online within 72 hours for approval. This permit works like a visa waiver and applies to travelers from nations that are not required to have a visa.

The permit processes applications with passport and contact information and answers to certain health and safety questions. However, additional information and documentation may be requested from the traveler via email and must be submitted within 7 business days.

In specific cases, an interview may be requested and must be attended at the respective consulate of each country of residence. To apply for this permit, you must be a citizen of the countries on the list of admissible countries, where the USA is part of the 60 countries exempted from applying for a visa to visit the Schengen zone.

As REPORTUR.us reported, the European Union will require Mexicans to obtain the ETIAS permit to enter Schengen countries. This new requirement is not a visa but a permit to “improve border security, reduce illegal immigration to Europe and combat criminal and terrorist activities,” the bloc explained.

These are the European countries that will require a valid ETIAS upon arrival at their borders:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Who Will Need ETIAS?

Find the complete list of the 63 visa-free countries that will need to get the ETIAS authorization on this link: Etias EuropeanTravel Information. 

The Dominican Republic is not on this list.