Did you see the news last week that starting in 2021 US Citizens would need a visa to visit Europe? Thank goodness those reports were wrong! Here’s what is really proposed to happen in 2021.
There will be an extra hoop to jump through, but a visa is not required, unless you are planning to spend more than 90 days in Europe at a time. Americans will need to fill out an application online and spend about $8 to obtain an ETIAS authorization. This authorization will be electronic and valid for three years.
The requirement is reciprocal since the US requires most European citizens to go through a similar process when visiting.
The new requirements for Americans will cover 22 countries in the Schengen Area. The Schengen Area includes 26 countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
As 2021 approaches more information will become available. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions. We look forward to helping you plan the vacation you’ve been dreaming about to Europe or beyond.
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