In 2021, American tourists will have to register to visit parts of Europe

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To register in the ETIAS database, travelers must have a valid passport.

UNITED STATES (Agencies) – According to the European Comision, Americans who intend to visit Europe from 2021 onwards will have to register in the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) with the aim of strengthening border controls.

Currently, US citizens can travel to Europe for up to 90 days without any sort of travel authorization. ETIAS will change that.

At present, Americans can travel to any of the 26 European nations that make up the Schengen zone, an area without internal borders, where citizens of its member countries, business people and tourists can move freely, simply by presenting their passports.

In 2016 the European Commission modified this policy and designed the ETIAS system, in order to strengthen control of its borders and have more exhaustive information about foreigners entering the region.

In order to register in the ETIAS database, you must have a valid passport -which must expire three months beyond the period of stay and be less than 10 years-, a debit or credit card and an e-mail account.

Visa-free travelers, including US citizens, will need to request ETIAS authorization before visiting the Schengen Area. They can complete an application and pay a service fee of 7 euros (about $8) online. The authorization is valid for three years.

“Completing the online application should not take more than 10 minutes with automatic approval being given in over 95% of cases,” the European Commission said in a statement.

This new registration will also allow them to enter Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City, three of the smallest nations on the European continent.

If you want to visit the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland or Romania, you will not have to process this document, as these countries are not part of the Schengen area and have their own particular policies regarding access to foreigners.

The United States has a similar system called the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA.

Source: The Yucatan Times