SINGAPORE — Starting next year, Singapore and Malaysia citizens will need to obtain an online document called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) before travelling to any European Union (EU) or Schengen member countries.
According to the ETIAS official website, this authorisation will be linked to the traveller's passport, and will be valid for three years or until the passport's expiry date.
The ETIAS serves to keep a record of who enters and leaves the Schengen zone. According to its website, is not a visa requirement and does not guarantee entry upon arrival; border guards will still check passports and other documents to ensure that travellers meet the entry conditions.
The Schengen zone is an area comprising 27 European countries that have officially abolished all passport and all other types of border control at their mutual borders.
With an ETIAS, Malaysians and Singaporeans can stay in Europe for a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period.
How to apply for ETIAS and how much is it?
To apply, Singaporean and Malaysian applicants between the ages of 18 and 70 must complete an online application and pay a fee of €7 (RM36, S$10). The entire process is done online, and no appointment or visit to an embassy is need.
Minors and applicants over 70 years old will receive an ETIAS free of charge. The EU aims to process most applications within minutes, although some decisions may take up to four days.
The EU countries which will require ETIAS travel authorisation next year are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Background of the setting up of ETIAS
The ETIAS proposal was finalised in November 2016, with the aim of improving the security of the Schengen area. It requires visa-free travellers to obtain travel authorisation and undergo various security checks before arriving in the EU.
The system will screen travellers prior to their arrival in Europe, preventing individuals who pose a security threat from entering the EU and thereby reducing the likelihood of security incidents involving EU citizens.
Malaysia and Singapore are among the 63 nations exempt from visas when entering most European countries.
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