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US Travellers To Europe Will Require A Visa From 2021 Spain News

From 2021, US travellers will need a visa for permission to enter 60 European countries.

To improve security in regards to reducing illegal immigration, terrorism and align with many other countries and regions in the world, Europe is introducing a visa system for US travellers. Any US citizens wanting to travel to Europe from 2021 will have to apply for a European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) visa waiver. This will be the new travel authorisation for all US citizens who want to travel in the Schengen area.

What do Americans need to do?

In order to travel to any of the European countries in the Schengen Zone, Americans will have to obtain the visa waiver known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System visa waiver (ETIAS). To apply for this, US citizens will need a valid passport, email account and a credit or debit card. If a US citizen travels without the correct documentation, then they may be refused entry to the country.

As well as having a valid passport, US citizens must ensure their passport is valid for at least three months longer than their intended stay in Europe. Furthermore, passports that are over ten years old may not be accepted by ETIAS as a valid travel document.

Once approved, the ETIAS visa waiver will be valid for three years. During these three years, US travellers can enter any of the European countries in the Schengen Zone and travel as many times as necessary. The visa-waiver offers multiple entries for countries across Europe in order to promote tourism while protecting international security.

Payment for the ETIAS visa waiver must be in advance through the user’s credit or debit card. The application will require a physical address of permanent residency as well as a phone number and contact email address. The email address is vital as this will be how the ETIAS confirmation will be delivered.

Applicants can apply for ETIAS here.