new VISA requirement for Europe 2025?

[georgiacat]

I have heard there will be a Visa requirement for Europe in 2025.  We are going to Spain in May 2025.  Do we need one?  Please explain.  Yes, we are US citizens with passports.

[hallasm]

Might be - No start date for ETIAS yet. Current plan is ‘during 2025’. 
It’s a travel authorization system - not a VISA. ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System. It is based on a similar visa waiver system used by the United States called the ESTA.

After the initial launch, there may be a short-period of 3-6 months where ETIAS may not be mandatory for travel. 
just check a month before your travel to Europe.

Edited August 5 by hallasm

[edinburgher]

32 minutes ago, georgiacat said:

I have heard there will be a Visa requirement for Europe in 2025.

It is not a visa. ETIAS is a travel authorisation and following several delays is likely to be implemented in 2025 and only available  to those who will be visa exempt at the time of travel. Those who a do not fall into a visa exempt category will  need to provide an actual visa.

 

Suggesting you read about ETIAS also EES requirements on only OFFICIAL government and/or EU official websites.

[CDNPolar]

20 hours ago, georgiacat said:

I have heard there will be a Visa requirement for Europe in 2025.  We are going to Spain in May 2025.  Do we need one?  Please explain.  Yes, we are US citizens with passports.

 

Just stick close to the EES and ETIAS official sites and watch them as you get closer to your travel.

 

The EES requires nothing of you upfront, this will happen when you enter the EU.

 

The ETIAS will require you to register online, and pay for, in advance of travel to get the ETIAS authorization but that will happen quickly - probably in minutes - unless you have some reason for further inspection...  BUT, you will not get on the airplane if the requirement is in place and you have not received your ETIAS.

[d9704011]

20 hours ago, georgiacat said:

I have heard there will be a Visa requirement for Europe in 2025.  We are going to Spain in May 2025.  Do we need one?  Please explain.  Yes, we are US citizens with passports.

Lots of good advice to keep an eye on the rollout of ETIAS.  Official website is currently not functional, but it likely will be later in 2024nor early 2025:

 

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/smart-borders/european-travel-information-authorisation-system_en

 

 

Additionally, if you're planning on travel to the UK, keep an eye on the UK ETA.  It applies to only a few countries at the moment but will likely be expanded in time:

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta#who-does-not-need-aneta

 

[ontheweb]

57 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Just stick close to the EES and ETIAS official sites and watch them as you get closer to your travel.

 

The EES requires nothing of you upfront, this will happen when you enter the EU.

 

The ETIAS will require you to register online, and pay for, in advance of travel to get the ETIAS authorization but that will happen quickly - probably in minutes - unless you have some reason for further inspection...  BUT, you will not get on the airplane if the requirement is in place and you have not received your ETIAS.

Interesting mention that you will not be allowed to get on the plane without the ETIAS. Before they delayed it, I had asked our TA about it for our cruise last summer that started in the UK and then went to other European countries. He mentioned that the airline would require it citing a similar law for IIRC Australia. I then mentioned we were not flying into a country that needed the ETIAS, but to Heathrow in London. At that point, he basically said to wait and see and then they delayed it once again.

[hallasm]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

he basically said to wait and see and then they delayed it once again.

This is also the approach I would recommend - wait and see what is needed once ETIAS is introduced. Further delays and which transitional arrangements - when does it become a requirement when flying to Schengen and whether there are other requirements over land or sea? Have patience.

[edinburgher]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

. He mentioned that the airline would require it citing a similar law for IIRC Australia.

 

 

Yes, Australia does indeed have this already in place.  Pre-Travel Authorisation for Australia is called ETA

 

As you have discovered, a number of countries already have pre-travel authorisation in place with others due to implement  a similar system..

 

I note you are based in the USA and think you are actually better off than most as the cost for those between ages 18 and 70 will be euros7 and it will be valid for three years.

By contrast, the pre-travel authorisation for those travelling to the USA(ESTA) is currently costing US$21 (with no age exemptions) and only valid for 2 years. It came into force back in 2009 so other countries have been much later in introducing a similar system.

 

And if travelling to a country which requires pre-travel authorisation, check-in staff will not let you board without it.

 

Welcome to the club!

 

 

 

 

Edited August 6 by edinburgher

[georgiacat]

Thanks for all the good information, including the proper name.  I will keep my eyes open for it.  We are sailing to Spain from Ft. Lauderdale, but I assume the ship would not let us on without one IF it were required.

Some of the ports said that "Visa" may be required.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, hallasm said:

This is also the approach I would recommend - wait and see what is needed once ETIAS is introduced. Further delays and which transitional arrangements - when does it become a requirement when flying to Schengen and whether there are other requirements over land or sea? Have patience.

Yes, we ended up not needing it last summer or in the spring of this year when we flew to Amsterdam for a river cruise.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, edinburgher said:

 

 

Yes, Australia does indeed have this already in place.  Pre-Travel Authorisation for Australia is called ETA

 

As you have discovered, a number of countries already have pre-travel authorisation in place with others due to implement  a similar system..

 

I note you are based in the USA and think you are actually better off than most as the cost for those between ages 18 and 70 will be euros7 and it will be valid for three years.

By contrast, the pre-travel authorisation for those travelling to the USA(ESTA) is currently costing US$21 (with no age exemptions) and only valid for 2 years. It came into force back in 2009 so other countries have been much later in introducing a similar system.

 

And if travelling to a country which requires pre-travel authorisation, check-in staff will not let you board without it.

 

Welcome to the club!

 

 

 

 

Even less expensive for us as I am above 70. And depending on whether you need to pay at 70 or not DW would either need it or not.

[edinburgher]

55 minutes ago, georgiacat said:

Some of the ports said that "Visa" may be required.

I think you are still confusing pre-entry clearance with actual visas  Visas are usually only(but not always) for those who do not meet the elegibility criteria for pre-entry clearance, such as nationals of certain countries, people with criminal records etc to give a couple of examples., but not always as some countries require most travellers to have actual visas, and some can be challenging and costly to obtain.

The onus is always on the traveller to check elligibilty for entry requirements  into any country other than your own and to have the correct documentation.

You could begin by looking at entry requirements for your nationality  for the different countries you will visit, but being aware that "rules can change" at any time so always check at least once more closer to your travel date.

 

And  before doing that, maybe research the difference betwen pre--entry clearance and a visa so that it is clear in your mind and you will know which of them, if any, you will need before travel..

Edited August 6 by edinburgher

[edinburgher]

13 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Even less expensive for us as I am above 70. And depending on whether you need to pay at 70 or not DW would either need it or not.

Even should it be free for either or both of you, you will probably have to still have it pre-travel. Once it is implemented the terms and conditions should be up-to-date.

[ontheweb]

1 minute ago, edinburgher said:

Even should it be free for either or both of you, you will probably have to still have it pre-travel. Once it is implemented the terms and conditions should be up-to-date.

Thank you, I do realize that.

[mom says]

1 hour ago, georgiacat said:

We are sailing to Spain from Ft. Lauderdale, but I assume the ship would not let us on without one IF it were required.

Some of the ports said that "Visa" may be required.

The statement about Visa requirements is a catch all for any passenger of any nationality who is on a cruise. It depends on what countries are included on the cruise, as well as the entry requirements of the individual cruiser and what passport they hold. The cruise lines can't get much more specific than that because requirements can and do change with little advance notice, and the variables are just too numerous. That's why their T&Cs are very clear that securing the proper entry documents are solely the cruisers responsibility. 

[CDNPolar]

31 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Interesting mention that you will not be allowed to get on the plane without the ETIAS. Before they delayed it, I had asked our TA about it for our cruise last summer that started in the UK and then went to other European countries. He mentioned that the airline would require it citing a similar law for IIRC Australia. I then mentioned we were not flying into a country that needed the ETIAS, but to Heathrow in London. At that point, he basically said to wait and see and then they delayed it once again.

 

Yeah - it will be interesting to see what happens.  If you were JUST flying to London, perhaps you would not be denied boarding, but if you were transiting through LHR to a Schengen country then the airline would have the responsibility to make sure you had the ETIAS for your destination country.

 

If you were only flying to London and then boarding a cruise ship, then the airline would be off the hook, but you still would have to ensure that you had the necessary entry requirements satisfied if the cruise ship was to make stops in Schengen countries.  If not, then the cruise ship would likely deny you boarding.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Yeah - it will be interesting to see what happens.  If you were JUST flying to London, perhaps you would not be denied boarding, but if you were transiting through LHR to a Schengen country then the airline would have the responsibility to make sure you had the ETIAS for your destination country.

 

If you were only flying to London and then boarding a cruise ship, then the airline would be off the hook, but you still would have to ensure that you had the necessary entry requirements satisfied if the cruise ship was to make stops in Schengen countries.  If not, then the cruise ship would likely deny you boarding.

Yes, that was what we were dealing with until we were saved by a postponement of the requirement.

[CDNPolar]

15 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, that was what we were dealing with until we were saved by a postponement of the requirement.

 

Well, from my understanding and I have read everything I can, it will be a seamless process like what I had to do as a Canadian for Australia.  The ETIAS system for Australia was simple and I believe that my approval was almost instantaneous.  

 

This system is not trying to keep anyone out - not that you were saying that - it is about tracking your time in the EU and entry / exits to the EU.

[ontheweb]

35 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Well, from my understanding and I have read everything I can, it will be a seamless process like what I had to do as a Canadian for Australia.  The ETIAS system for Australia was simple and I believe that my approval was almost instantaneous.  

 

This system is not trying to keep anyone out - not that you were saying that - it is about tracking your time in the EU and entry / exits to the EU.

I hope you are right, but I am still wondering how it would have worked for us last summer if its implementation had not been delayed when we flew to the UK for our cruise and our first cruise stop was in the EU.

[d9704011]

20 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I hope you are right, but I am still wondering how it would have worked for us last summer if its implementation had not been delayed when we flew to the UK for our cruise and our first cruise stop was in the EU.

So, the question you're asking is -  Will an ETIAS be required for (probably most) passengers on a cruise ship entering the EU?

 

I believe the answer is yes.  I do not see any provision for excepting cruise ship passengers from the ETIAS requirement, which I think will be pretty quick and easy.

 

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias/who-should-apply_en

 

Doesn't much matter if the ship departs from Southampton or Florida.

[hallasm]

The link in post #20 is the official ETIAS web site. 
Be aware that there are a lot of unauthorized ETIAS pages on the web that have simply copied the content from the official web.
All official European Union website addresses are in the europa.eu domain.

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I hope you are right, but I am still wondering how it would have worked for us last summer if its implementation had not been delayed when we flew to the UK for our cruise and our first cruise stop was in the EU.

 

There has been discussion about whether you boarded a cruise ship outside of the Schengen countries but are docking in Schengen countries whether it will be YOUR responsibility or the Cruise Lines responsibilities to get the ETIAS in advance.

 

I am a fan of the popular vote that it will be YOUR responsibility to have this in advance.

 

Again, with this proposed ETIAS system, if you fly to the UK you don't have to apply, but if you are subsequently entering a Schengen country after entering the UK whether by land, water, or air, you would have to have the ETIAS.

 

Put a note in your calendar to start to follow this at the beginning of 2025 to see when it comes into play and just keep checking.  

 

The link in post #20 is the best to follow.

 

If you use a Travel Advisor for your cruises or travels, then it is - In Canada anyway - their responsibility to make you aware of Visa or ETIAS requirements.  Not to apply for you, but to at least point you in the direction of the need.

 

My travel advisor already has notes on their communications / invoices warning that the ETIAS is coming.

 

 

 

 

[hallasm]

39 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

There has been discussion about whether you boarded a cruise ship outside of the Schengen countries but are docking in Schengen countries whether it will be YOUR responsibility or the Cruise Lines responsibilities to get the ETIAS in advance.

I think you are confusing Entry/Exit System (EES) with ETIAS.

But whether ETIAS will initially be required for cruises that both start and end outside Schengen is another question.
The expectation right now is that for cruises that start/end outside Schengen, the cruise company must ensure that passengers have an ETIAS upon boarding. It is not expected that EES is necessary if it is only a short-term stop in the Schengen area.

[CDNPolar]

Just now, hallasm said:

I think you are confusing Entry/Exit System (EES) with ETIAS.

But whether ETIAS will initially be required for cruises that both start and end outside Schengen is another question.
The expectation right now is that for cruises that start/end outside Schengen, the cruise company must ensure that passengers have an ETIAS upon boarding. It is not expected that EES is necessary if it is only a short-term stop in the Schengen area.

I am NOT confusing EES with ETIAS.  I fully know what both are.

 

I think you are confusing what I am responding to.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

 

There has been discussion about whether you boarded a cruise ship outside of the Schengen countries but are docking in Schengen countries whether it will be YOUR responsibility or the Cruise Lines responsibilities to get the ETIAS in advance.

 

I am a fan of the popular vote that it will be YOUR responsibility to have this in advance.

 

Again, with this proposed ETIAS system, if you fly to the UK you don't have to apply, but if you are subsequently entering a Schengen country after entering the UK whether by land, water, or air, you would have to have the ETIAS.

 

Put a note in your calendar to start to follow this at the beginning of 2025 to see when it comes into play and just keep checking.  

 

The link in post #20 is the best to follow.

 

If you use a Travel Advisor for your cruises or travels, then it is - In Canada anyway - their responsibility to make you aware of Visa or ETIAS requirements.  Not to apply for you, but to at least point you in the direction of the need.

 

My travel advisor already has notes on their communications / invoices warning that the ETIAS is coming.

 

 

 

 

I think the cruise lines will always say it is the passenger's responsibility to have all necessary travel documents.