Cozen O’Connor: ETIAS to launch in 2024: How it will impact over 1 billion travelers to Europe [Alert]

*The launch has now been delayed to 2025. Read an update in this January, 2024 Client Alert*

Overview

All US citizens (and non-European travelers) will need to plan ahead and obtain ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) approval before traveling to Europe.
ETIAS will launch in 2024, impacting visa-exempt travelers to 30 European countries.
Travelers from over 60 countries will now be required to complete this process in order to enter most European countries.
ETIAS specifically applies to travelers who are citizens from countries that do not require a Schengen Visa.
This process is similar to the United States ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) program, as it is a visa waiver (not a visa specifically).
Even if you have previously traveled to Europe and have a valid passport, as of 2024, this process must be completed before traveling to Europe.

ETIAS keeps track of all European travelers from countries who do not require visas to enter these 30 European countries, including Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden plus future Schengen countries such as Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania.
ETIAS will also cover countries under the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, and European microstates with open borders, including Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.
ETIAS is an electronic system that conducts a detailed security check of each applicant and is linked to your passport. You will need to complete this process again if you obtain a new passport.

Log into https://etias.com/ to complete the application on mobile or desktop (starting in 2024 – exact rollout date not yet confirmed).
You must hold a passport that does not expire in less than three months at the time of completing the ETIAS application.
The fee is €7, and the system provides various payment options. NOTE: Applicants under 18 or over 70 are exempt from this payment.
The ETIAS travel authorization is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever occurs first.
The ETIAS authorization must be valid for the entire stay in Europe.
The ETIAS system will provide all applicants notification of their “approved,” “refused,” or “manual processing” ETIAS status within 96 hours of application submission, but most will receive notification within a few hours.
The entire application should only take approximately 10 minutes to complete.

What this means to you and how Cozen O’Connor can help:

Plan accordingly and complete this process at least two weeks before your travel to Europe, as there are currently no expedited options.
You must ensure that your passport meets the requirements and does not expire in less than three months at the time of completing the ETIAS application.
Those with a criminal record might not be automatically denied but may be subject to additional scrutiny and/or lengthier processing time.
ETIAS has been delayed multiple times, but it appears that it will be rolled out in 2024, so all impacted travelers should plan accordingly.
There is a possibility that for the first 3-6 months, ETIAS may not be mandatory to enable a smoother roll-out, but these details will most likely be provided by the end of 2023.
Cozen O'Connor can assist with your application process and assessment of requirements, especially in situations where multiple travelers are traveling from various locations.