Updated: EU To Require Electronic Travel Authorization [ETIAS] for non-EU citizens
#211
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An issued ETIAS — whether called that or not — will be required at Schengen land/seaports too, and it’s a matter of when.
Governments may claim that ETIAS (and ESTA) are merely means to carry out pre-travel screening for travellers with so-called visa-free/visa-waiver access and aren’t visas — evisa or otherwise — but they too are de facto visas in all but name.
Governments may claim that ETIAS (and ESTA) are merely means to carry out pre-travel screening for travellers with so-called visa-free/visa-waiver access and aren’t visas — evisa or otherwise — but they too are de facto visas in all but name.
#212
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What's this mean for US-resident dual US-EU nationals? Will they be able to travel to EU on their US passport with an ETIAS? Or will they be rejected from ETIAS because they're an EU national and need to get an EU passport?
There's a lot of US nationals that left EU decades ago with no intention of more than an EU vacation.
And even more "accidental" EU nationals because they had an EU parent/grandparent.
Will the ETIAS app ask if you're an EU national and reject any "Yes" answers? Then requiring travellers to collect their (grand)parents birth certificates, marriage certs, translations, apostilles, etc. to get an EU passport? Or renounce their EU citizenship (if they even can) ?
This is the current state with the US and Canadian approach to electronic travel authorization. Before the electronic system, the border agents didn't really care what passport you used, or your Canadian Permanent Residence from 1975. But the machine doesn't use its brain and just spits out a simplified "Oh, if you're an XYZ citizen wanting to visit XYZ, you're ineligible for ETA because you don't need a visa. Just use an XYZ passport/residence card".
There's a lot of US nationals that left EU decades ago with no intention of more than an EU vacation.
And even more "accidental" EU nationals because they had an EU parent/grandparent.
Will the ETIAS app ask if you're an EU national and reject any "Yes" answers? Then requiring travellers to collect their (grand)parents birth certificates, marriage certs, translations, apostilles, etc. to get an EU passport? Or renounce their EU citizenship (if they even can) ?
This is the current state with the US and Canadian approach to electronic travel authorization. Before the electronic system, the border agents didn't really care what passport you used, or your Canadian Permanent Residence from 1975. But the machine doesn't use its brain and just spits out a simplified "Oh, if you're an XYZ citizen wanting to visit XYZ, you're ineligible for ETA because you don't need a visa. Just use an XYZ passport/residence card".
On the other topic of ESTIA / ESTA / ETA being a visa or not. IMHO they are an electronic authorization to participate in a visa-waiver program meaning that if you pass the authorization you do not need a visa. In case you fail the authorization your have to apply for a normal visa (for example when your ESTA authorization gets denied you can apply for a normal visa. The normal visa process is not linked at all to ESTA. It is even handled by two different departments. ESTA by the Department of Homeland Security and Visa by the Department of State)
#213
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And I highly doubt that any EU country will hunt down anybody who might have a claim for a citizenship because some great great parent immigrated to the US, Canada or any other country in one of the last centuries. With the millions of emigrants that left Europe over the centuries this would be a bit crazy.
On the other topic of ESTIA / ESTA / ETA being a visa or not. IMHO they are an electronic authorization to participate in a visa-waiver program meaning that if you pass the authorization you do not need a visa. In case you fail the authorization your have to apply for a normal visa (for example when your ESTA authorization gets denied you can apply for a normal visa. The normal visa process is not linked at all to ESTA. It is even handled by two different departments. ESTA by the Department of Homeland Security and Visa by the Department of State)
Reciprocity is technically maintained, and everyone is happy about it, except for everyone's life that just got a bit more complicated (ie: half the planet's).
#215
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I think the CFR provides for a $500 fine for such a shenanigan. Whether that is enforced is a different issue.
#216
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For decades now, something like that hasn’t been enforceable against US citizens. Maybe I missed something that has again made something like that enforceable against US citizens. IIRC the amount was in the $500s but may have not been that exact figure.
#217
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In the Los Angeles Times:
ETIAS postponed
ETIAS postponed
Additional paperwork for American travelers, known as the European Travel Information and Authorization System, or ETIAS, was to have been required for 26 countries beginning next year, but that date has been postponed until late 2022 and may come with a six-month or longer grace period.
#218
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EU officials are saying ETIAS won’t be mandatory until 2023:
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...urces-confirm/
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32256517-post42.html
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/new...urces-confirm/
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32256517-post42.html
#221
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#223
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And how will that new Schengen visa that cones into effect in 2023 apply to duals—we won’t have to get it because we already have EU passports? Will this somewhat complicate exit and entry procedures for duals since we presumably won’t need or have the visa? Just wondering……
Just like ESTA is "just registering online." But you can bet that airlines will be checking validity. They dn't want to pay fined or send passengers back.
#225
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Well next year most probably there will be European ESTA, so it will mean you will have to somehow present to the airline that you are EU citizen so that they don't make you apply for the travel authorization. Very similar to how one should show to airline he or she is US citizen when going back to US because US citizen cannot apply for ESTA. This is very easy to solve if given airline has their online system set up for multiple passports.
Then it becomes a matter of preference honestly, e.g. if you have bought a roundtrip ticket from US to EU:
- if you buy ticket with EU passport info, you only need to present yourself as US citizen on the return leg so they OK you not having American ESTA.
- if you buy ticket with US passport info, you only need to present yourself as EU citizen on the flight to the EU.
Then it becomes a matter of preference honestly, e.g. if you have bought a roundtrip ticket from US to EU:
- if you buy ticket with EU passport info, you only need to present yourself as US citizen on the return leg so they OK you not having American ESTA.
- if you buy ticket with US passport info, you only need to present yourself as EU citizen on the flight to the EU.