Home > EU VAP vs ETIAS: Your Go-To Resource (2025)
When it comes to traveling to Europe, particularly to the Schengen area, understanding the various visa and authorization systems can be confusing.
A couple of terms you might come across are EU VAP (The European Union Visa Application Process) and ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System).
These systems serve entirely different purposes, and knowing how they apply to your trip can save you time, stress, and unnecessary confusion.
In this guide, we will break down the key differences between the EU VAP and ETIAS, and explain whether you need one, both, or neither when traveling to Europe.
The EU Visa Application Platform (EU VAP) is a new digital system designed to simplify the application process for Schengen visas, making it both more accessible and secure for applicants around the world.
With this platform (which hasn’t been launched yet), travelers who need a Schengen visa can learn about the Schengen visa requirements and apply online, reducing the need for physical paperwork and multiple trips to embassies or consulates.
EU VAP is still being built and won’t be fully operational until the coming months/years.
ETIAS, on the other hand, is a separate system designed for travelers from visa-exempt countries. ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorization System.
The Schengen area has visa-waiver agreements with a variety of countries around the globe, including the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and others. This agreement allows citizens of these countries to travel to the Schengen area (for any duration under 90 days) without needing to apply for a visa.
Instead of applying for a visa, citizens from visa-exempt countries must secure pre-travel authorization through ETIAS, from 2026 on.
EU VAP is an online portal to apply for Schengen visas. ETIAS is an online platform to apply for travel authorization.
If you need a Schengen visa you can use EU VAP (once the system has been launched).
If you don’t need a Schengen visa, you must use ETIAS (from 2026 on).
Individual Schengen countries will adopt EU VAP at their own pace during an allotted transition period, allowing for gradual implementation. This means that EU VAP will become the new method for Schengen visa applications as countries adopt EU VAP.
By 2030, all countries in the Schengen area are expected to have adopted EU VAP.
EU VAP is designed to make the visa application process easier, more efficient, and even more technologically secure.
The shift to the EU VAP will take place over several years, with a full transition expected by 2030.
According to regulations published by EUR-Lex, the transition will occur in stages. Currently, they hope to have the platform accessible to most countries by 2028.
Individual Schengen countries can choose to adopt the system at their own pace during this period. Some countries may move to digital applications sooner than others, depending on their infrastructure and resources, which is why the system will take time to launch entirely.
ETIAS was originally set to begin in 2024, then 2025, but due to delays, ETIAS is expected to launch (and thus be required) as of 2026.