ETIAS does not mean the end of freedom of travel within the Schengen area
Newsteam
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The greatest achievement of the EU or the Schengen area is the freedom to travel within the area. When the borders had to be temporarily closed during the Corona crisis, this was a difficult decision. The Schengen states are expected to introduce the new entry system ETIAS at the end of 2022. Many travellers are afraid that their freedom to travel will now be curtailed. But that is not the case.
The freedom to travel in the Schengen area also has disadvantages
It is convenient if travellers only have to take their identity card or passport and can thus travel into the Schengen area. This makes travelling convenient and spontaneous. Many people no longer want to do without it.
However, this freedom also entails risks. Not every visitor to the Schengen area wants to see Europe or make business contacts. A few travellers want to override the existing order by terrorist means. This must be prevented. This is what ETIAS is designed to prevent, no more, but also no less. For the traveller, the effort is minimal. It costs a few minutes of his time, but means an enormous gain in security.
An ETIAS visa is quickly applied for
An ETIAS can only be applied for via the internet. If you don't have an internet connection or a suitable terminal, you can have a friend or agency do it for you.
The entry document must be at hand. Various data must be entered here: The name, the address and (very important) the number of the document. The data must exactly match the information on the passport. The data is checked, but the clerk has no chance of detecting a wrong entry. If the data does not match, the officer at the border will refuse entry.
The security and health questions must also be filled in accurately. In the case of an illness, it is not necessary to indicate a cold. These are diseases that endanger the safety of the traveller and the residents in the Schengen area.
After payment, the application is usually completed within a few hours. If problems arise, it may take a little longer. In rare cases, the authorities reject the application. The traveller can then appeal against this.
It is better to submit the application in good time before the trip. If the approval does take a little longer, there is still enough buffer.
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The greatest achievement of the EU or the Schengen area is the freedom to travel within the area. When the borders had to be temporarily closed during the Corona crisis, this was a difficult decision. The Schengen states are expected to introduce the new entry system ETIAS at the end of 2022. Many travellers are afraid that their freedom to travel will now be curtailed. But that is not the case.
The freedom to travel in the Schengen area also has disadvantages
It is convenient if travellers only have to take their identity card or passport and can thus travel into the Schengen area. This makes travelling convenient and spontaneous. Many people no longer want to do without it.
However, this freedom also entails risks. Not every visitor to the Schengen area wants to see Europe or make business contacts. A few travellers want to override the existing order by terrorist means. This must be prevented. This is what ETIAS is designed to prevent, no more, but also no less. For the traveller, the effort is minimal. It costs a few minutes of his time, but means an enormous gain in security.
An ETIAS visa is quickly applied for
An ETIAS can only be applied for via the internet. If you don't have an internet connection or a suitable terminal, you can have a friend or agency do it for you.
The entry document must be at hand. Various data must be entered here: The name, the address and (very important) the number of the document. The data must exactly match the information on the passport. The data is checked, but the clerk has no chance of detecting a wrong entry. If the data does not match, the officer at the border will refuse entry.
The security and health questions must also be filled in accurately. In the case of an illness, it is not necessary to indicate a cold. These are diseases that endanger the safety of the traveller and the residents in the Schengen area.
After payment, the application is usually completed within a few hours. If problems arise, it may take a little longer. In rare cases, the authorities reject the application. The traveller can then appeal against this.
It is better to submit the application in good time before the trip. If the approval does take a little longer, there is still enough buffer.