The name Frontières extéruers, or FRONTEX for short, is hardly known, although every traveller entering the Schengen area has had to deal with these officials at some point. They check passports, but usually there is little to complain about, because many countries can enter the Schengen area without a visa or any other visual check. There have always been security concerns about this procedure, but these should be a thing of the past from the end of 2022. That is when the new entry system ETIAS will be introduced. This will also change the importance of ETIAS.
FRONTEX gets more staff
The task of FRONTEX is to secure the external borders of the Schengen area. Until now, this was relatively simple. The staff member checked the passport at the border crossing and let the tourist pass. That only took a few seconds. With the introduction of ETIAS, things will change here. From then on, it will be necessary to check every passport carefully. This cannot be done within a few seconds. Nevertheless, clearance at the borders should be just as fast as before. To ensure this, FRONTEX is getting more staff. FRONTEX currently has 1200 employees. This number is to increase to 10,000 by 2027.
FRONTEX not only has the task of controlling the borders, but is also called out in the event of current threats. In order to be able to check travellers in the best possible way, the official has access to the same databases that are used for online authorisation.
What travellers must bear in mind
Tourists and business travellers have a comparatively low burden. They only need to fill out an ETIAS permit on their computer or other device every three years (or until their passport expires). This only takes a few minutes. Those who have neither an internet connection nor a suitable terminal device simply ask at an agency or ask a good friend or acquaintance.
When filling in the form, the identity card data must be transferred exactly to the form. A mistake will invalidate the application and no travel will be possible. This is problematic because the passport is not checked before crossing the border, so an error cannot be detected.
The country of entry must be indicated. This is obligatory for the first entry, but for subsequent border crossings the tourist is free to travel to the Schengen country of his choice.
In most cases, the application is approved within a few hours. In individual cases, there may be delays. It is recommended to complete the application several days or weeks before entry.
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The name Frontières extéruers, or FRONTEX for short, is hardly known, although every traveller entering the Schengen area has had to deal with these officials at some point. They check passports, but usually there is little to complain about, because many countries can enter the Schengen area without a visa or any other visual check. There have always been security concerns about this procedure, but these should be a thing of the past from the end of 2022. That is when the new entry system ETIAS will be introduced. This will also change the importance of ETIAS.
FRONTEX gets more staff
The task of FRONTEX is to secure the external borders of the Schengen area. Until now, this was relatively simple. The staff member checked the passport at the border crossing and let the tourist pass. That only took a few seconds. With the introduction of ETIAS, things will change here. From then on, it will be necessary to check every passport carefully. This cannot be done within a few seconds. Nevertheless, clearance at the borders should be just as fast as before. To ensure this, FRONTEX is getting more staff. FRONTEX currently has 1200 employees. This number is to increase to 10,000 by 2027.
FRONTEX not only has the task of controlling the borders, but is also called out in the event of current threats. In order to be able to check travellers in the best possible way, the official has access to the same databases that are used for online authorisation.
What travellers must bear in mind
Tourists and business travellers have a comparatively low burden. They only need to fill out an ETIAS permit on their computer or other device every three years (or until their passport expires). This only takes a few minutes. Those who have neither an internet connection nor a suitable terminal device simply ask at an agency or ask a good friend or acquaintance.
When filling in the form, the identity card data must be transferred exactly to the form. A mistake will invalidate the application and no travel will be possible. This is problematic because the passport is not checked before crossing the border, so an error cannot be detected.
The country of entry must be indicated. This is obligatory for the first entry, but for subsequent border crossings the tourist is free to travel to the Schengen country of his choice.
In most cases, the application is approved within a few hours. In individual cases, there may be delays. It is recommended to complete the application several days or weeks before entry.