Rumours of a visa waiver programme in the EU have been milling around for a while and starting next year they will be taking force. The scheme is called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) and will become an entry requirement for certain “visa-exempt countries.” It will work similarly to the US’s ESTA or Canada’s eTA. Momentarily, this list includes countries like the UK, the US, Brazil, Turkey, Australia and Japan. However, the list is expected to continuously change. 

The EU stated that the applications will be completed online or through the official ETIAS app. According to their website, it should take approximately 10 minutes to complete and generally applicants can expect a response “within minutes” but can take up to four days. These ETIAS applications will cost 7EUR or 6GBP and last three years. Throughout the three years, you will be able to travel around the EU for up to 90 days every 180 days, which is the same rule in place at the moment. For students planning to study abroad, this may mean having to apply for a student visa if the period of study is longer than 90 days. 

There are several reasons for ETIAS’ introduction, but it is mainly a means to pre-screen travellers to ensure better oversight regarding cross-border crime and terrorism, as well as general border security. It’s worth noting that, as the EU sees approximately 50 million people enter the Schengen Area every year, it’s also profitable. 

So, what will this mean for your backpacking plans around the Mediterranean? It means that instead of having unfettered access around the Schengen Area from the get-go, you will need to apply for an ETIAS application first, which you will be required to present at the border. After this however, you will be on track for backpacking without having to worry too much about borders. 

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