If you only have a few seconds, read these lines:
➢ A video is circulating on TikTok claiming that US citizens need a visa to visit Europe, but this claim is false.
➢ According to a list published by the official website of the European Commission , the United States does not appear in the group of countries that need a visa to enter the Schengen zone (nations that allow free movement without a passport among themselves).
➢ In 2024, the European Union plans to require the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), an authorization for travelers from countries that do not need a visa to enter the Schengen zone, such as the United States.
A video is circulating on TikTok that suggests that US citizens need a visa to visit Europe. “I don’t know if you know, but now it is mandatory that Americans have to have a visa to go to Europe,” says the post, which has more than 348,000 views, 62,800 “likes,” and 600 comments. However, this claim is false.
Although US citizens do not need a visa to travel to Europe, it has been officially announced that a new requirement will come into effect beginning 2024: the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). It is a travel authorization for those who want to go to Europe from countries that do not require a visa.
According to a list published by the official website of the European Commission (an entity that together with the European Council represents the Executive Branch of the European Union), the United States of America does not appear on the list of countries that require a visa to enter the Schengen zone. The Schengen zone, made up of 27 European countries, is an area which abolished their internal borders with each other allowing free movement of nationals without a passport, among other agreements.
The rumors were denied by the spokeswoman for the European Commission, Anitta Hipper, who told the USA TODAY newspaper : “ETIAS is not a visa and its obligations are not like those of a visa.” In addition, she assured that “there will be no need to go to a consulate to make an application, biometric data will not be collected, and more documentation will not be necessary beyond a valid travel document.”
Factchecked via TikTok reached out to the @serenityfrank account to seek more clarification on their post, but as of the time this article was published, there has been no response.
In the same way, Factchecked contacted the Delegation of the European Union in the United States through an email to include their version of events, but so far there has been no response.
New requirements for Americans who want to travel to Europe
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is a travel authorization for those who want to go to Europe from countries that do not require a visa. Applications can be made online or through an app, will cost less than $10 and will be processed “in minutes”, according to information on the European Union page .
Travelers who wish to apply for the ETIAS must submit personal information including their names, date of birth, nationality, address, email, and telephone number. In addition, they must declare their level of education, occupation and their reasons for traveling to Europe.
After being approved, the ETIAS will be valid for 3 years, or until the traveler’s passport expires, whichever comes first. The process will be done online and will cost $8. The ETIAS is linked to the applicant’s passport and will be required to enter 30 European countries .
The following is a checklist published by the official website of the European Union for those travelers who plan to apply for the ETIAS when it is in effect:
- Apply for the ETIAS travel authorization before buying your plane ticket or reserving your accommodation.
- The details in the passport must correspond to those included in the ETIAS authorization. In the case the information does not match, the traveler will be denied entry.
- The ETIAS authorization must be valid at the time of travel.
- The traveler should check how long they can stay in the countries that require ETIA.
- The traveler’s passport must be valid for at least three months after the day of departure (some exceptions apply ).
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