For individuals with windfall or inherited wealth who can afford to outsource much of the major planning that travel entails, there are changes coming in 2025 that everyone will need to be aware of. Starting in mid-2025, some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries are required to have a travel authorization to enter most European countries. The European Union and countries that border the EU will implement a new travel document called ETIAS, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). Read on to see how this will affect you…
- Americans will need ETIAS authorization to gain entry.
- ETIAS will boost security and safety for Europe, without making people fill out full visas to gain entry to their destinations.
- ETIAS will be a simple online application with a small fee of $7.61 (applications under age 18 or above 70 years of age are exempt from this fee).
- The online application will ask you to provide information, such as details about your travel dates, education and occupation, as well as if there are any criminal convictions.
- The main difference between ETIAS and a visa is that visas require more information and are much more time consuming, sometimes including trips to embassies and in person interviews.
- Think of ETIAS as more of a “travel authorization form, an electronic entry-point for countries that are currently visa-free.”
- The ETIAS is only supposed to be utilized for short-term trips, up to 90 days, within any 180-day period.
- The program is not for those seeking work or permanent relocation to Europe.
ETIAS is not currently in operation, and no applications are being collected at this point. Though it should be a quick and easy process that you can do yourself online, once the program is implemented, it could take in excess of 30 days for ETIAS travel authorization to be processed. Your ETIAS travel authorization is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
As with many international, government policies, implementation dates are always subject to change. You can visit the official website of the European Union to keep up with the latest ETIAS FAQs. Clients of The Wealth Conservancy can always seek guidance on travel plans and many other endeavors.