The ETIAS will not burden your finances a lot. It is planned to have the ETIAS cost only 7 euros for each application. This is only valid for adults over 18 years old, as those under 18 will not have to pay any fees. You can pay the fee by debit or credit card. Immediately after you complete the payment, the ETIAS authorization will start processing. If approved, the ETIAS might be valid for 3 years or until the end of validity of the travel document registered during application, whichever comes first. Whether you will get the first period of validity or the second depends on the system’s evaluation of your information and risk.
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), ETIAS is an important first step in the “digitalization of travel.” The end goal is the use of biometric technology – think fingerprints and facial recognition – to help provide the ultimate in security. The European Union (EU) agency driving this digital initiative is eu-LISA, the European Agency for the Operational Management of Large Scale IT Systems. It’s the very first EU agency established for the sole purpose of border and migration policies. Since it began operations in 2012, eu-LISA has been moving toward an all-digital, interoperable system so every key EU agency can get critical information to people on the front lines, such as border control and police.
ETIAS, the European Travel Information System, provides qualifying visitors a visa waiver when traveling to the Schengen Area, a group of European countries that have agreed upon who can visit and how long they can stay. The Schengen Area was created by the European Union, or EU, in the spirit of harmonious and free travel between borders and has grown to 26 countries – most are in the EU but some are not. Given the influx of international travelers to the Schengen Area, more comprehensive security checks have had to be put in place. ETIAS, much like ESTA in the United States, will create centralized data on who is visiting and why, providing enhanced security for all.
Approved ETIAS applicants can travel in and between countries in the Schengen Area, for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Qualifying travel purposes include tourism, short-term business reasons such as a conference or client meeting, short-term education such as an internship, and medical procedures. ETIAS approval is valid for 3 years with no travel limit, as long as the traveler has a passport not expiring for 90 days from the day of arrival abroad. However, your ETIAS expires when your passport does.
Europe is a fabulous travel destination, here are a few attractions you can visit. As the residence of Prince Archbishops, Salzburg was a spiritual center from the earliest days of Christianity in Europe. The Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter, in the heart of the Altstadt (Old Town) was founded by St. Rupert in AD 690 and served as the residence of the Archbishops until the early 1100s. The Prince Archbishops employed some of the finest artists and architects of their times to build and decorate their churches, residences, and monasteries, and although these have been “updated” in the tastes of successive centuries, the medieval and Baroque buildings combine to form a beautiful old quarter to explore. Highlights are St. Peter’s Abbey and its church, along with the beautiful cemetery and its catacombs (which you may recognize as a filming site for The Sound of Music). Nearby is the cathedral, and wandering among its colorful Baroque burgher houses, you’ll find charming squares and attractions that include the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, now a museum. Above the beautiful spires and cupolas soars Salzburg’s castle of Hohensalzburg, which you can reach by a funicular.
The ETIAS form is accessed directly online. You’ll be prompted to provide your passport details and asked to answer a list of security questions, so have your valid passport handy before you begin. You’ll also need a credit or debit card to complete the process. Once you’re finished, the form is submitted immediately. See extra details at Europe Visa.