| Description: | All you need to apply is a valid passport and a completed ETIAS application. Because it's a visa waiver, you don't have to navigate through the complexity of applying for a Schengen European visa . Unlike a visa application, ETIAS doesn't require an interview at embassy or consulate. This alone can save you a significant amount of stateside travel and associated costs to get to the embassy or consulate nearest to you - giving you more time and money to spend when you actually travel to Europe.ETIAS, the European Travel Information System, provides qualifying visitors a visa waiver when traveling to the Schengen Area, a group of European countries that have agreed upon who can visit and how long they can stay. The Schengen Area was created by the European Union, or EU, in the spirit of harmonious and free travel between borders and has grown to 26 countries – most are in the EU but some are not. Given the influx of international travelers to the Schengen Area, more comprehensive security checks have had to be put in place. ETIAS, much like ESTA in the United States, will create centralized data on who is visiting and why, providing enhanced security for all. |
