What is ETIAS? New requirements for Americans traveling to Europe set to start in 2024
The rules for Americans traveling to Europe are about to change.
Beginning in 2024, more than one-billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries – including the United States - will be required to have a travel authorization to enter most European countries.
The travel authorization is known as ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System).
According to European Union website Europa.eu, the authorization will be linked to your passport. It will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires - whichever comes first.
You’ll need to provide travel documents and personal information to apply. The fee is around $8. Europa.eu says most applications are processed within minutes, but longer wait times are possible.
Here’s a look what you can expect with the new ETIAS travel authorization requirement:
European Countries Requiring ETIAS:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia. Cyprus. Czech Republic, Denmark. Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Who Needs An ETIAS Travel Authorization:
Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Macao, Malaysia, Marshall islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela
ETIAS Basics for American Citizens
The ETIAS authorization is only good for short-term stays of 90 days or less; it is not a work visa. The ETIAS information is linked to your passport, so if you have to replace your passport for any reason, you’ll also need a new ETIAS travel authorization. (Your travel insurance company should be able to assist with a lost passport.)
People Who Need ETIAS Authorizations
You will need an ETIAS Authorization if any of the following apply to you:
- You’re not a European Union national.
- You’re a citizen of any country, including the U.S., whose nationals don’t currently need a visa for a short-term stay in a European Union country.
- You don’t have a residence permit or card issued by any of the European countries that require ETIAS.
- Some travelers may be exempted from the requirement for an ETIAS travel authorization, so check before you apply.
How to Apply for ETIAS
Once You Have Applied:
You will receive an email confirming the submission of your application which will include your unique ETIAS application number: make sure you keep this number for future reference.
Cost of an ETIAS Travel Authorization
As of July 2023, the ETIAS application fee is €7. It’s free for anyone under the age of 18 or over the age of 70.
How Long ETIAS Is Good For
The ETIAS authorization is good for three years. You can only travel in a participating country for 90 days within any 180-day period. Whenever you travel to participating countries, your ETIAS authorization must be valid for the duration of the stay.
On Arrival At The Border:
As your ETIAS travel authorization is linked to your travel document, make sure to carry the same document which you used in your ETIAS application. Otherwise, you will not be allowed to board your flight, bus or ship, or to enter any of the European countries requiring ETIAS.
Your ETIAS Check-List:
Apply for an ETIAS travel authorization well in advance – before you buy your ticket or book your accommodation
Make sure your passport details correspond to those in your ETIAS authorization – you will be refused boarding and entry at the border if they do not match
Make sure your ETIAS travel authorization is still valid
Check how long you can stay in the European countries requiring ETIAS
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
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Quintana Roo Doubles Down on Tourist Tax With New Payment System. The Mexican state of Quintana Roo, which includes popular destinations such as Cancun, Riviera Maya, and Playa del Carmen, has doubled down on requiring a tourism tax that was
passed in 2021.
On July 10, Quintana Roo announced that it is mandating all tour operators, airlines, and other travel operators to collect the tax, which will go toward infrastructure improvements. To streamline this process, the state appointed a Mexican contractor, which chose Toronto-based tech company Travelkore to run the online payment system.
The VISITAX, which was initially $11 per person, was first implemented in April 2021. It is now $18.80 per person to visit the state. Through Travelkore, travel advisors will be able to earn a small fee per payment if they process the tax for their clients. Advisors will receive a link designed specifically for travel agents where they can input an agency service fee “of whatever they see fit,”
Advisors will then receive a monthly transaction report from Travelkore, which advisors will use to create an invoice to send to the company and be paid.
Alternatively, all visitors to the country can access a traveler’s Travelkore link and pay their own tourist tax in advance of their trip.
Groups of up to 10 people can process the tax payments in one transaction. Travelkore’s platform will be integrated into several OTAs and GDS, including Amadeus.
The tax applies to all visitors to Quintana Roo, except those who enter by land through the southern border. The state previously did not require travel operators to collect the tax.
