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ETIAS Italy is the European Travel Information and Authorization System. This new electronic visa waiver will come into effect in November 2023. All Canadian citizens can travel without visa requirements at the moment. But visa-free travel to Schengen zone will be possible by obtaining ETIAS only. To get ETIAS travelers will need to submit an online application.
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Welcome to Europe
ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) is an updated visa waiver system. It will become mandatory for all travelers from eligible countries in November 2023. Eligible countries are all 60 states participating in Europe’s visa liberalization program. European Union introduced ETIAS in 2016. Since then the system is under development. ETIAS will change the way foreigners travel to Schengen zone. All visa-exempt visitors will need to submit an online ETIAS application. The approved application means the permit to travel. The application will be same for all 26 Schengen area member countries. The online application process for ETIAS is not at all difficult or complicated. It should take 10 minutes or less to fill out and submit an electronic ETIAS Italy application. Also, each family/group member should still fill out their own ETIAS application. There will be a small application fee payable before submitting the ETIAS form. Payments can only be made with a credit card or through PayPal. The only ETIAS requirement is a valid biometric passport. Biometric passports are machine-readable passports. Applicants with dual citizenship should use a single passport for application and travel.
ETIAS Italy requires that all applicants have valid and biometric passports. Canadian citizens who have traveled abroad within the last decade have biometric passports. Biometric passports have a microchip that carries the holder’s personal information. While valid passport means that your passport is valid for at least 3 months after you arrive in Europe. Canadian citizens should not confuse ETIAS visa waiver with Schengen visa. Again, ETIAS allows short-term travel only (less than 90 days). You cannot work or study in Europe with ETIAS. The purpose of your visit should be leisure/business. If you want to visit Europe for any other purpose you should apply for Schengen visa. Schengen visa, in contrast to ETIAS Italy, allows holders to work, study and live in Europe. If you intend to stay longer than 90 days in Schengen member states you should apply for Schengen visa. The Schengen application procedure is not online. It also takes much longer than ETIAS. The ETIAS application takes less than 10 minutes. The application has 3 parts: personal data, security questions, and paying the fee. Personal data is your full name, residential address, date of birth, and contact info. ETIAS questions are about your criminal record, past travel history, and travel itinerary. There will be no more than 15-20 simple questions. At the end of the application you should pay the ETIAS fee. This fee is not a revenue source for Europe. But it is to cover the administrative costs of ETIAS Italy. Minors will be exempt from paying the fee. Once you submit the application and pay the fee you should wait up to 24 hours. You will receive the decision at your email address. If there is something wrong with your application officials may request extra documents. In case your application is rejected you can appeal the decision.
Until November 2023, Canadians can visit Europe with passports only. They do not need to complete the online application form. But if they want to stay more than 90 days in Europe they need to apply for a Schengen visa. The rules for European travel will change in November 2023 when ETIAS is active. After the EU announces ETIAS launch there will be a 6-month transition period. During this period use of ETIAS will be optional. Yet when the transition period is over ETIAS will become mandatory.
ETIAS is a complex system that takes data and information from several databases. These security databases are Interpol, Europol, SIS (Schengen Information System), and VIS. VIS is a Visa Information System storing the fingerprints and biometrics of users.
When an applicant fills in the ETIAS form the system will check the input within the databases. If the provided data does not match the databases ETIAS application will be rejected. Hence, it is important to fill in the form carefully. ETIAS approval is linked to a person’s specific passport or travel document number. As such, getting a new passport will also mean submitting a new ETIAS application. If an ETIAS application gets rejected, the traveler may or may not have the opportunity to appeal the decision, depending on the reason for rejection.
ETIAS Italy will improve the travel experience. First, Canadians will not stand in long queues at the border checks. Second, the risk of terrorism and illegal migration will become less. Finally, travelers will know in advance if they are eligible to visit Italy or not. If visitors follow ETIAS requirements they will enter the Schengen zone without issues. But note that the border officials may still ask for the extra travel info if they have suspicions. Altogether, it creates a safer environment for local residents and visitors of the EU.
First, the new ETIAS travel authorization process is a border security measure. There are a lot of cases of illegal migration to Europe. The number increased after European visa liberalization. Hence, Europe needed to create safer system for visa-exempt nationals. ETIAS Italy will pre-screen the visa-free travelers before they enter the Schengen zone.
Terrorism is a serious issue in Europe. Since 2015 there have been several cases of mass shootings and terrorist attacks. Italy has been part of the high-risk zone, as well. The ETIAS system is as a pre-screening tool to protect the Schengen zone against incoming threats. Every application will get carefully assessed. If an applicant’s risk level is found to be too high, border officials will refuse entry. The security databases will also be actively involved.
Living in European Union attracts many foreigners. The standards of living are high, salaries are decent and the environment is safer. Hence, migrants often choose to remain in the Schengen zone even if they do not have a permit for it. Especially after the visa liberalization, many travelers stayed in Europe to work illegally. ETIAS challenges illegal migration using the electronic data of all incoming travelers.
ETIAS Italy does not solely benefit local communities. The system also has the purpose of making travel to Europe easier for foreign nationals. The border wait times at the airports will be reduced. The visitors will have clearer instructions on how to get past the border officials. This visa waiver will also increase the chance of entering the Schengen zone as it will eliminate human error. Travelers will no longer be sent home because of a human mistake. This consistency provides an easier, smoother experience for travelers and border officials alike.
The nationals of 60 visa-exempt countries will need an approved ETIAS to visit the EU. This list also includes Canada. Before they take their flight it is important to apply for ETIAS Italy. But even the ETIAS approval does not guarantee the entry to Schengen zone. Here is the complete list of ETIAS countries who need to apply for a visa waiver after November 2023:
Albania
Antigua & Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Georgia
Granada
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Macao
North Macedonia
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Montenegro
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts & Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent
Samoa
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Taiwan
Timor Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Uruguay
Ukraine
UAE
Vanuatu
Venezuela
United Kingdom
United StatesNot all European countries are part of the ETIAS program. The new visa waiver system only applies to 26 Schengen member states. All visa-exempt nationals visiting these 26 countries of European Union must get ETIAS. Here is the complete list of ETIAS countries with some changes expected before 2023:
Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Slovakia
Slovenia
Sweden
Spain
Switzerland
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
Romania
Monaco
San Marino
Vatican
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Yes. Canadian citizens will need ETIAS approval to visit Italy in 2023. The ETIAS Italy visa waiver will come into effect in November 2023. But it will not be mandatory immediately. Canadian nationals will have 6 months transition period where they can travel visa-free. During this 6-month gap, ETIAS will be optional. Yet, it’s best to go ahead and complete the application form as soon as the new ETIAS program goes live. Allow at least 96 hours (four days) for processing before your departure date.
The ETIAS application is a remarkably straightforward travel form. Canadian citizens will submit a simple online application. It shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to fill out. The form covers the applicant’s basic personal info along with a set of security questions.
Canadians do not need Covid passports to visit Italy. But as the situation changes often it is better to follow up on travel rules before departure. It is not clear if ETIAS will include Covid-related info or not. The officials will announce more about it in 2023.
In case you run into any issues during your stay in Italy, a Canadian Consulate can help. You can find several consulates in Italy, particularly in Rome and Milan. The Canadian Embassy is located in Rome.