Canadians will be charged to visit Europe starting in 2023

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Canadians who want a romantic getaway to Paris will need to pay a fee starting next year.

The European Union (EU) announced the launch date for its new visa waiver system called the European Travel Information Authorization System (ETIAS) last week.

It was created to track visitors from the 63 countries that are not part of the EU but can enter without needing a visa, mainly for security purposes.

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“To reduce procedures and wait times, as well as address the security concerns, the European Commission (EC) has come up with a solution – ETIAS,” the site reads.

The electronic system will be able to detect if a person is a threat to the security of EU countries, which will then lead to being denied entry.

Travellers from Canada, the US and the UK are just a few of the countries who will need to obtain ETIAS authorization.

The system is expected to be fully operational in May 2023.

How it works

Fortunately, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg to apply. It’s expected to cost €7 (around CAD 9.50) for each application. Only adults over 18 years old will need to apply, as those under 18 will not have to pay any fees.

The application will ask for personal data and travel documents like a passport and the first EU country you intend to visit. It’ll also ask questions about criminal records, presence in conflict zones, and orders to leave any EU countries.

You will be approved if your application form is correct and not flagged as a security risk. According to the site, the procedure is expected to be completed in only a few minutes.

However, if the ETIAS finds something risky in your application, it’ll be manually processed for about four days or a maximum of two weeks.

Once you obtain ETIAS authorization, it’ll be valid for three years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Your ETIAS application can be denied for reasons that are listed on its site.

The EU has not confirmed the date when travellers can begin filling out the ETIAS application.

Here’s the complete list of countries that will require ETIAS approval starting May 2023.

Albania
Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Brazil
Brunei
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominica
El Salvador
Georgia
Grenada
Guatemala
Honduras
Hong Kong S.A.R*
Israel
Japan
Kiribati
Macao S.A.R*
Malaysia
Marshall Islands
Mauritius
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Montenegro
Nauru
New Zealand
Nicaragua
North Macedonia
Palau
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent
Samoa
Serbia
Seychelles
Singapore
Solomon Islands
South Korea
Taiwan **
Timor Leste
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tuvalu
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Uruguay
Vanuatu
Venezuela