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Study in Europe: tips about ETIAS travel authorisation for students from EU visa-free countries

04/09/2024

Ahead of the new school year, DG HOME, the European Commission’s department responsible for EU policy on migration and home affairs, has shared new travel requirements that students coming from visa-free countries must also comply with when joining a study programme in Europe. Currently, three Eastern Partnership countries have a visa-free regime with the EU – Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

Below are seven key facts about the new ETIAS travel authorisation, starting in the first half of 2025.

  1. ETIAS will be required to enter and stay in 30 European countries. These include the 29 Schengen countries as well as Cyprus. Just make sure to get your ETIAS before starting the trip.
  2. With ETIAS, you will be able to study in 30 European countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. For longer study programmes, you will need a student visa.
  3. To apply for an ETIAS travel authorisation, you will need: a passport valid for more than 3 months and not older than 10 years; an email address; to fill out an online form; and to pay a fee of 7 euros.
  4. There is only one official ETIAS website. This is where you can fill out the application form.
  5. Your ETIAS will be valid for 3 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. You can use your ETIAS for multiple entries.
  6. ETIAS is not a visa. Similar travel authorisations for visa-free travellers are required by countries such as the United States (ESTA), Canada (eTA), Australia (ETA and eVisitor), and the UK (ETA).
  7. Beware of scammers! There are over 100 unofficial ETIAS websites providing information about this new European travel authorisation. While some of these websites are probably run by legitimate businesses, others may be less trustworthy. If you decide to ask a third party to apply for an ETIAS on your behalf, make sure you choose an intermediary you trust.

If you are a national from a visa-free country and you plan to study in a European country requiring ETIAS for more than 90 days, you will need a student visa.

You can remain in the European countries requiring ETIAS for up to an additional 90 days without needing to leave and return. However, you need:

  • a valid ETIAS travel authorisation from the moment your student visa expires; and
  • to be registered in the Entry/Exit System (EES).

The EES registers visa-free and visa-required travellers entering the Schengen Area for a short stay. Specifically, it records the time and place of your entry and stores your facial image and fingerprints.

Registration in the EES usually takes place at the border. However, if you are staying for a short period after your student visa expires, you will need to request your registration in the EES to the authorities of the Member State where you are studying or those of the Member State to which you intend to travel.

You will be able to verify the remaining days of your authorised stay on the official EES website after the system goes live.

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