Visitors from 60 visa-exempt countries, including Hong Kong passport holders, planning a trip to Europe in 2025 will need a new travel authorisation called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This user-friendly online system aims to enhance security without affecting tourist and business visits. An ETIAS application takes only minutes to complete and is valid for three years with multiple entries. If Hong Kong passport holders are planning a vacation to any of the EU member states, an ETIAS authorisation will be needed. However, the EU travel authorisation won’t be required if they already have a study or work visa.

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Explaining the new provision, Izabella Cooper, the ETIAS central unit division’s media and outreach team leader from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, said, “Normally, the stolen document database, visa information system or Europol database would be checked at the border by border guards,” according to a report by South China Morning Post. With ETIAS, any potential risks will be screened before travelling. “The idea is that ultimately it will make crossing the border much smoother,” she added.

European Travel Information and Authorisation System: How ETIAS affects EU travel

ETIAS is an automated IT system designed to identify irregular migration, security, or high epidemic risks that may be presented by visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen states. The authorisation can be completed online via a quick and efficient process. There is only one official website to apply for an ETIAS, so beware of fraudulent websites. Applicants can also apply for a family member, friend, or tour guide by claiming the ‘applicant authorisation’.

For this purpose, applicants must provide details such as their names, date and place of birth, address, nationality, parents’ names, contact details, travel document details, education, occupation, criminal history (if any), planned stay details, prior visits to conflict zones, and any past deportation orders. The authorisation costs EUR 7 (HKD 58.69), but the price is waived for applicants under 18 and over 70.

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The ETIAS requirement applies to 30 EU countries and won’t affect the permitted stay duration, which remains 90 days within any 180-day period. While some may see this as an extra step, Cooper assures it will be “very similar” to existing authorisation systems for travel to the US, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand.

To ease the transition, a six-month grace period will allow travel to Europe without ETIAS during the first half of 2025. The ETIAS system itself is expected to launch in early 2025.

(Feature Image Credit: Georgios Tsichlis/Shutterstock)

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