When filling out an ETIAS France application, visitors are advised to provide only valid information, as their details will be used to vet their eligibility for entry into the country.
The ETIAS initiative is a new policy introduced by the European Commission to facilitate the safe entry of visitors coming to Europe and to ensure the strengthening of continental borders. Here we will discuss all that you need to know about it.
Traveling To France
France is the most visited country in Europe, with millions of visitors coming for business, tourism, and other activities. The capital, Paris, is a cosmopolitan city with attractive side attractions like the Louvre Museum and the Eiffel Tower.
Furthermore, France boasts the best cuisine in the world, with several Michelin star restaurants in all the major cities in the country. Aside from Paris, you can visit other major cities and centers of culture like Bordeaux, Lyon, and the flamboyant city of Marseille. The Principality of Monaco is an independent state but is still open to visitors from France.
Visitors coming to a number of tourist destinations in Europe may or may not need a visa to enter France. Citizens from non visa exempt countries require a Schengen visa and do not qualify for ETIAS, but those from visa exempt countries do.
If you wish to visit France in the coming months to enjoy all the sights and sounds the country has to offer, you may be required to present an ETIAS approval at the entry point if you are a visa free visitor.
ETIAS Policy
ETIAS is a new policy introduced by the European Commission and approved in 2016 by the European Parliament. The policy is set to be tested on travelers by May 2016 and will be fully implemented in 2024. By the time it becomes fully active, eligible visitors will not be allowed to enter the country unless they hold Etias. The purpose of ETIAS is quite simple.
Over the last few years, the level of specific risks European countries have been exposed to has quadrupled because of terrorism and Illegal migration. Furthermore, the consequences of the COVID 19 pandemic and the effect it had on the health and economy of all the countries on the planet made it necessary to devise a system to mitigate such risk.
ETIAS will not only vet the identity of every visitor coming to France, but it will also check their medical records to ensure that they pose no health risk to the local population of their host.
How Will It Work?
The system scans personal data across several security databases like the Schengen Information System, Eurocop, Interpol, and Europol, to mention a few. Only applicants whose details for jot trigger security alerts will be issued the ETIAS approval immediately.
Those that trigger security alerts will have their application passed over to the manual ETIAS unit in France for further vetting, which may take a few days or weeks, depending on the gravity of the security alert and the number of unprocessed applications before them.
How Many Countries Can You Enter with France ETIAS?
Successful applicants can enter all 26 Schengen nations with Etias as it is a continental pass for foreigners from visa exempt countries. However, you must put France as your first port of call before any other Schengen country. You can also visit non-Schengen countries like Croatia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania. Croatia is set to join the Schengen Area in the coming months.
Other territories you can visit include micro States like San Marino, Andorra, Monaco, and The Vatican. The Republic of Ireland is not a member of the EU or the Schengen Area, and visitors must obtain a visa to visit the country.
ETIAS Validity
ETIAS is valid for three years and allows visitors to visit France or any other Schengen country for 90 days within a six month period. Since it has multiple entry values, you don’t have to apply for a new one each time you want to visit France.
Applying For ETIAS
You can apply for ETIAS online via VisaHQ by doing the following
Visit VisaHQ
Choose France as your destination
Choose your country of citizenship
Select ETIAS
Complete the application form
Attach your passport bio page
Pay the application fee
Submit for approval
The ETIAS will be forwarded to your email, so endeavor to print it out and bring a copy to France. You must also travel with the same passport you used for the application, as a different passport will be rejected at the airport or border crossing.
The ETIAS France application form is available on VisaHQ, so visit the application page to fill it out and submit yours. Also, note that you will need to pay the application fee with a credit or debit card, so keep those handy' this fee is non-refundable.