You’ve probably heard about it in the last few weeks- you may have to get a Visa to visit Europe. I myself may not need a visa because I have citizenship in a European country, but it’s always important to stay informed about travel news and changes. Get the facts, avoid the buzz and the stress that comes with it. Here’s the truth.

Soon Americans, Canadians, Australians, and other visa-free countries will have to deal with an extra step before visiting Europe. This is called the the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), it’s like a precheck-in Europe wants to use to “strengthen borders”. News outlets and articles may have called this a visa, but it isn’t one. 
What does this mean to you? If you are traveling for less than 90 days, by 2021 you will not need to apply for a visa, however you will need to fill out the ETIAS beforehand. It’s an online application which requires paying small fee- right now it is said to be $7- and needs your travel documents. The ETIAS is said to be similar to the American Electronic System for Travel Authorization or ESTA- an application for travel authorization for people who don’t need visas. There should be more news about the ETIAS in the future as its development continues. 

Where do you need to use this? It will apply Europe’s Schengen Zone which is made up of 26 countries, including France, Germany, and Spain, but not Britain- because well, we all know about Brexit. 

For more information check out https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/etias/. Again, even with the title of the link this new thing is not a visa.