August 10th, 2023 at 04:56 pm
The Main Differences between ETIAS And a Visa
A poll found that thousands of individuals applied under German residence law in the past six months, demonstrating the success of the German law that enables migrants with restricted stay permits to apply for residence under streamlined conditions.
However, a number of websites and even famous media outlets have repeatedly in the past claimed that “the ETIAS is a visa,” either knowingly or unknowingly.
A visa is not an ETIAS. The US, Canada, and Australia all require similar travel authorizations for citizens whose countries do not require visas. The EU previously said in an article dispelling the biggest myths about the ETIAS that travelers would be able to apply for ETIAS online, there is no need to visit a Consulate to apply, and biometric data will not be gathered as part of the application process.
In order to help our readers distinguish between the ETIAS and a visa, we have listed and described the main distinctions between the two below.
Who will require it?
Who will require an ETIAS and who will need a Schengen visa is the main distinction between the two.
While travelers from more than 60 nations, including the UK, US, Canada, and New Zealand, would no longer be able to enter the EU without a visa or other restriction, the bulk of the world’s population will still need a Schengen Visa.
Application Methods
The ETIAS application process is rather quick and easy. One application is anticipated to take about 10 minutes.
Simple inquiries concerning the applicant’s name and surname, date of birth, citizenship, residence, email, phone number, education, employment, and plans for their first travel to the Schengen Area will be made on the application form.
An ETIAS can be obtained without an interview or any paperwork.
“Travelers will not be required to provide any health-related or immunization-related information while applying for an ETIAS. Additionally, travelers won’t be asked to provide any biometric information, like their fingerprints, while requesting an ETIAS, according to the EU.
However, obtaining a Schengen visa takes a lot more time and effort. First-time travelers must schedule a visa appointment online, but they frequently have to wait weeks since there aren’t any open timeslots. Once they are able to schedule an appointment, they must gather a number of papers depending on the type of Schengen visa they are seeking for (tourist, business, visiting family, etc.).
Documents including a flight itinerary, evidence of finances, and travel health insurance are on the list. Additionally, the applicant must present their documents in person at the embassy or visa center, where they will also need to provide fingerprints.
Fees paid
A Schengen Visa charge is fairly little in comparison to the ETIAS fee. A Schengen Visa costs €80, more than 11 times as much as an ETIAS, which is merely €7.
An extra charge must be paid if the applicant submits their application for a Schengen visa through a third party to whom the Schengen Member has contracted to handle visa entry.
Generally approximately €30, these fees vary depending on the visa center. There are fees associated with asking to receive the passport via mail. Once the application has been entirely completed, the applicant must return to the visa center to pick up the decision if they do not wish to pay for the service.
The ETIAS admission confirmation, on the other hand, will be sent to the applicant’s email as soon as it is completed.
>> EU’s ETIAS Will Cost Less Than the Majority of Current Travel Authorizations
Awaiting the result of the decision
The EU asserts that once the ETIAS is in place, the majority of applications will be handled quickly, with applicants receiving a response through email right away.
A small number of applications, however, may take up to 30 days to complete if the EU security systems identify any potential issues with the applicant that may be viewed as a security danger to the EU.
On the other hand, processing a Schengen visa application typically takes about 15 working days. However, it might take much longer depending on how much work the consulates have to do.
Validity
Three years, or until the applicant’s passport expires, will be the ETIAS’s period of validity. whichever occurs initially. Every ETIAS authorization is granted for several journeys. They are available to travelers at any time, provided they do not exceed the permissible length of stay.
A Schengen visa might be valid for anything between a few days and five years. They may receive a single entry or several submissions.
Rates of Rejection
A record-high rejection rate of 17.9% was reached last year, continuing a previous trend of rising rejection rates for Schengen visas.
On the other hand, the expected rejection rates for an ETIAS are less than 3%.
97 percent of applicants will have their applications processed and approved right away, according to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), while the remaining 3 percent will go through several EU security systems, including the Schengen Information System (SIS), Visa Information System (VIS), and Entry/Exit System (EES). The application will be accepted in a matter of minutes if there are no worries raised that the applicants pose a threat to the EU.