Guidelines of Process and Requirements of ETIAS for Canada

At this time, Canadians can journey to the Schengen area without a visa to stay for ninety (90) days. The Schengen passport-free region consists of 22 EU countries such as Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, and four non-EU countries – Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.

Yet, this will shortly change when the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Accreditation Agency) is introduced at the end of 2022. ETIAS is an online visa waiver authorized in 2016 by the European Parliament. But, it will need some time to execute this system entirely.

The ETIAS visa waiver for Canadians is being executed to pre-screen visa-exempt passengers to the Schengen region. This pre-screen executes before they board a flight to Europe to detect any security threats in advance and make European countries safer for both travelers and residents. ETIAS has the support of all EU member states.

The details provided by the travelers when applying to ETIAS from Canada will be verified against multiple information security databases. These include the Visa Information System (VIS), the EURODAC, and the Schengen Information System (SIS), administered by the EU-LISA. The EU is also responsible for implementing ETIAS.

Do Canadians require ETIAS to enter the European region?

Yes. Canada is an ETIAS required country, and its citizens will need an electronic travel authorization to go to the Schengen region for short visits by late 2022. Canadians planning to travel to the European Union for leisure, transit, business, or medical treatment must apply for an ETIAS Canada visa waiver beginning in late 2022.

ETIAS visa required countries

The following Schengen nations will permit ETIAS holder’s entry:

• Austria
• Luxembourg
• Belgium
• Germany
• Netherlands
• France
• Sweden
• Spain
• Finland
• Portugal
• Italy
• Denmark
• Latvia
• Estonia
• Czech Republic
• Lithuania
• Slovakia
• Poland
• Malta
• Slovenia
• Greece
• Hungary

ETIAS also needed to visit the non-EU member states:

• Iceland
• Switzerland
• Liechtenstein
• Norway

ETIAS is not required to visit the below non-EU member states:

• Bulgaria
• Ireland
• Romania
• Cyprus
• Croatia

Micro States de facto region of Schengen zone:

• San Marino
• Vatican City
• Monaco

The ETIAS for Canadian citizens is a multi-entry travel authorization that allows the holder to journey to 26 Schengen area nations for a short period. It permits you to stay in Schengen for 90 days every 180-days and is valid for three years from the date of authorization, which means you do not require to apply for ETIAS before each trip to the Schengen region.

Eligible passengers can finish the easy online visa application in around a few minutes by giving personal and passport details and answering some security-related queries to get an ETIAS Canada electronically connected to their travel document or passport.

Do European citizens need a visa to enter Canada?

Due to mutual agreements between Canada and the EU and Schengen area nations, European nationalities do not require a visa to go to Canada for a short period of 180 days.

Yet, all visa-exempt nationalities planning to travel to Canada in less than six months and arriving by air must register in advance for an eTA, a Canadian version of the ETIAS visa waiver, or the US ESTA. Like ETIAS for Europe, eTA was executed to screen visa-exempt passengers to Canada and strengthen the nation’s borders.

The eTA and ETIAS share a simple online visa application process in general. If you obtain an eTA for Canada, it is mandatory to fill out an online form with personal and passport details and answer some health and safety-related questions.

The Authorized eTA for Canada is a multi-entry travel authorization that permits multiple short periods of up to 180 days per entry and is valid for five years from the approval date.

European nationalities who wish to continue to spend extended stays in Canada or who wish to travel to a nation other than for purposes allowed with the ETA should apply for a visa in the nearest Canadian consulate or embassy.

ETIAS visa waiver mandatory requirements for Canadians to Europe:

There are many visa waiver requirements for Canadians planning to travel to European Union with ETIAS. To submit an ETIAS visa application, Canadians will require:

• Canadian passport valid for at the minimum of three months from the arrival date in the Schengen area
• Pay ETIAS fees from Canada through all cards
• Current e-mail address to which the authorized ETIAS will be sent

Until they give these mandatory requirements, potential passengers from Canada to the EU will not register for an ETIAS visa waiver. When filling out the visa application data, applicants must use the same passport and then travel to the Schengen region because the European visa waiver is linked electronically to a personal passport. Canadians with dual nationalities should remain this in mind.

Since the visa waiver for Europe is electronically attached to a particular passport, it is not mandatory to copy the approved ETIAS for Canada. Passengers will submit the passport to transport carriers and enter Europe under Schengen border control.

Yet, Canadian travelers are suggested to bring a printed copy of the authorized Europe visa waiver if there are any issues with the electronic system.

Travel from Canada to Europe:

After receiving the ETIAS approval in their inbox, Canadian passengers will be able to travel to the Schengen region for a small period until the validity or expiration of the associated passport, whichever comes first.

Upon expiration of the traveler’s passport, it is mandatory to submit a fresh ETIAS to continued travel to the European region. The authorized ETIAS is electronically attached to the personal travel document used to finish the initial application.

It should also be noted that an ETIAS for Canadians can be denied if the details provided in the application do not match the passenger’s passport information. Therefore it is necessary to ensure that all the details in the form do not have any errors before submitting the ETIAS application.

ETIAS for Canadians will be refused if the conditions for granting travel authorization have not been met. It is mainly the case where the authorities trust that the visa waiver was acquired by providing false or fraudulent information.

ETIAS for minors:

Canadians traveling to the European Union with kids should know that all minors below 18 must have an individual ETIAS. However, their legal guardians or parents can submit an ETIAS visa application on behalf of their kids.

More than 90 days:

Passengers from Canada who wish to remain in the Schengen region for more than 90 consecutive days or who wish to travel for reasons such as jobs or study permitted with ETIAS must register for a Schengen visa from the consulate or embassy.

Applicants must apply in person at the embassy or consulate of the country they wish to visit. Unlike ETIAS for Canadian citizens, a Schengen Europe visa is provided to a specific Schengen nation. The length of the Schengen visa for Canadians is decided on an individual basis so that it may be provided as a single entry, dual entry, or multiple entry visas.

To apply, you must attend a meeting at an embassy with various supporting documents, including a finished Schengen visa application for Canadian citizens, a valid Canadian passport, and evidence of sufficient financial resources to stay in the EU. Canadians must submit a visa application at least fifteen days before the date of entry into the European Union to allow adequate processing time.

Bilateral agreements between members of the European Union and Canada:

Canadians can stay in some European nations beyond the 90-days Schengen limit by bilateral visa-waiver agreements.

Listed below are the Schengen area countries that presently hold bilateral agreements with Canada nation and the maximum length of stay allowed in each case is:

Any travel document

• Austria (3 months)
• Belgium (2 months)
• Germany (3 months)
• Denmark (3 months)
• Italy (3 months)
• The Netherlands (90 days)

Only ordinary passport holders

• Greece (90 days)
• France (90 days)
• Portugal (60 days)
• Hungary (90 days)
• Spain (90 days)
• Sweden (3 months)

Schengen-associated nations

• Norway (90 days)
• Iceland (3 months)

Canadians using one of these bilateral agreements should remain in the European Union member state for which they are applying for a full extension. It is not allowed to go freely around the Schengen region under the bilateral agreement.

For this reason, Canadian citizens must leave the particular European country by traveling directly to a third nation or via a non-Schengen territory at the end of their stay.

Bilateral agreements between EU member states and Canada are subject to change.

How to register for an ETIAS Canada?

To get an ETIAS online visa waiver, Canadians must apply online. The process to apply for ETIAS is designed to simplify and expedite the approval process. Like the ESTA program already in the US, applicants must answer specific security queries and give personal details about their travel plans.

Personal and passport details to be included in the ETIAS application form for Canadians includes full name, country of birth, place of birth, gender, nationality, contact phone number, current address, passport number, and passport expiration/issuance date. It is also mandatory to give the Schengen nation were your first entry in the application form. ETIAS applicants will provide information about their education and latest employment status.

ETIAS form safety-related questions topics:

• Pre-trip to the Schengen region
• History of criminal offenses
• Pre-trip to conflict places

ETIAS Europe is likely to be granted a visa waiver if Canadians with minor criminal offenses are honest about their criminal history. However, those with severe beliefs about imprisonment, especially those related to terrorism, human trafficking, or drug offenses, are unlikely to obtain an approved electronic travel permit to Europe.

After the traveler provides the required information and pays the nominal ETIAS fee, the user must receive the ETIAS visa waiver approved by e-mail within 24 hours. Yet, Canadians are advised to register the application at least seventy-two (72) hours before the intended arrival date in the Schengen region, allowing sufficient time to process the visa waiver.

Canadians can submit an ETIAS application from anywhere outside the Schengen region, using any tablet, desktop computer, or mobile phone.

Can Canadian citizens study in European Union with an ETIAS visa?                                                 

Unfortunately, ETIAS does not allow authorization for Canadians to study at a European Union university. To take a university course in a European nation, each person should apply under the respective nation’s national visa or student visa scheme.

Are Canadian citizens allowed to work in European Union if they have ETIAS?

Unfortunately, ETIAS does not allow Canadian citizens to work as a European company. The visa waiver system will only allow foreign visitors to the Schengen area for tourist, business, and transit purposes.

If you need work in the European Union, Canadian citizens must apply for a work permit or national visa appropriate to the country in which they are seeking employment.

Can ETIAS be used to visit family members living in European Union from Canada??

Yes, ETIAS permits Canadian citizens to visit family members or friends who are either Schengen member country citizens or residency holders. At the time of the visa waiver application process, may specify this kind of visit.