All third-country nationals who travel to EU Member States under the visa-free regime are expected to face a new entrance requirement introduced by the European Commission.

The Commission intends to make the travel process within the Schengen Area easier and more secure, taking into account that citizens from 63 third countries, including the United Kingdom, are allowed to enter the bloc for up to 90 days for business or travel without having to apply for a visa beforehand.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) was implemented by the Commission in November 2016 to reduce waiting times at borders and other procedures, as well as to address security concerns.

The ETIAS has been in development since then and is anticipated to be officially implemented by the end of 2022.

All travellers from third countries who do not require a visa to travel within the Schengen Area will be required to make an application in the system as soon as it becomes operational.

Despite this, it has been stated that the ETIAS will not be mandatory for the first year of its implementation. The first year will be a learning period for travellers as they adjust to the new requirements.

The ETIAS application process is entirely online, which means that those who need to apply will not have to fill out a lot of documentation. Furthermore, the application is supposed to take no more than ten minutes to complete.

It has been emphasised that the applicant must have a valid passport in order to apply for a travel authorization within the Schengen Area.

The form will have numerous fields that must be filled out depending on the applicant’s country of origin.

Biometric data, address, education and work experience, the first country the applicant intends to visit, as well as other background and eligibility inquiries, will all be required.

After filling out all of the essential information, the applicants must submit their applications and pay a nominal charge. Forms will then be inspected for health and security threats, as well as automated checks across multiple EU and international databases.

Unless there are any probable grounds for refusal, the travel authorization will be provided immediately and automatically if there are no concerns with the application.

If an applicant’s profile poses a concern, the appropriate agencies will conduct additional checks to evaluate if the travel authorization can be granted.

– India’s new age travel digital media