Who Needs ETIAS? Your Guide to Europe’s New Travel Requirement

France, Italy, Spain. Europe is at the top of many travelers' wish lists. It's not hard to see why. From iconic monuments like Paris's Eiffel Tower and Rome's Trevi Fountain to historically significant places like Normandy and Warsaw, the list of things to do feels neverending - in a good way.

Whether you've been before or it's your first time getting to immerse yourself, there is one big change that you need to know about: ETIAS. (The European Travel Information and Authorization System).

So, here comes the important question: "Do I need ETIAS?"

And it's an important question to ask. After all, ETIAS is going to be mandatory once it has officially launched. If you need it, you won't be able to travel without it.

A brief overview of ETIAS

Before learning whether or not you need it personally, it's important to understand exactly what ETIAS is.

ETIAS is an entry requirement for visa-exempt visitors traveling to the Schengen area. But let's break down what that actually means.

Europe boasts an area called the Schengen zone. This zone isn't actually a geographical area or region, it's 29 countries that do not have border checks between them.

This means if you travel from one Schengen country to another, you don't have to go through passport control between them.

Some travelers can visit Schengen countries without needing to apply for a visa. These travelers are citizens of countries that have visa-waiver agreements with the Schengen area, including the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and others. If you're a citizen of one of those countries, you can go to Schengen countries without a visa for up to 90 days.

While you still won't need a visa to travel to Schengen countries, you will now need ETIAS (if you're a citizen of a visa-waiver country).

ETIAS isn't a visa. Instead, you can think of it as permission or authorization to enter the area.

While it’s not a visa, it works similarly in that travelers need to apply for authorization before they arrive in Europe.

Who needs ETIAS?

There are many travelers who are going to need ETIAS starting in 2026.

Travelers from the following countries will need ETIAS from 2026 on:
Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Macao, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

ETIAS hasn't officially started yet, so you do not need it right now. It currently isn't projected to start until the end of 2026.

Who doesn’t need ETIAS to travel to the Schengen area?

On the other hand, there are countries that do not have visa waiver agreements with the Schengen area.

Citizens of these nations (such as India and China) need a visa to travel to any country in the Schengen area, whether they plan to spend 2 days there or 200.

If you're a citizen of a country that does not have a visa-waiver agreement with the Schengen zone, you don't need ETIAS. ETIAS is an authorization to travel to the zone, but a visa already authorizes you, so ETIAS isn't needed. You can think of it more like a "one or the other". You need either a Schengen visa OR ETIAS.

Additionally, if you are an EU/Schengen country citizen, you also don't need to apply for ETIAS.

Can ETIAS be denied?

Yes, ETIAS applications can be denied. With that said, most travelers will receive ETIAS approval within a couple of minutes of applying.

Reasons for ETIAS denial

When ETIAS approval is denied, the most common reasons are due to security concerns or because your passport is either invalid or expired.

In order to be approved, your visa needs to be valid (so, not expired) and from a visa-waiver country (like the UK or US).

If your ETIAS application is denied, you'll receive an email letting you know it hasn't been approved and why. At this time, you can appeal the decision if you feel like it was unjustly made or correct any issues and apply again.

Just to be safe, we highly recommend that you check your passport's expiration date before applying.

ETIAS exemptions

EU and Schengen country citizens do not need to apply for ETIAS. Other than that, there aren't really any exemptions, including age based ones.

Whether you're 25 or 75, you still have to get approval if you want to visit any of the countries in the Schengen area.

Dual citizens

Great question. Generally, no, but make sure you're traveling with your Schengen passport.

If you’re traveling to Europe on a passport from a visa-exempt country like the US, Canada, or Australia, you’ll need ETIAS. However, if you are entering Europe with a passport from a country in the Schengen zone, ETIAS won’t be required.

For example, if you have both US and Italian citizenship, you won't need ETIAS if you’re traveling on your Italian passport since Italy is part of the Schengen area.

FAQs about who needs ETIAS