If you are an American citizen who wants to visit Europe, you may be wondering what kind of visa you need and how to apply for it. In this blog post, we will explain everything you
need to know about traveling to Europe as a US citizen, including the current and future visa requirements, the documents you need to present at the border, and the countries you can visit with a Schengen visa.
What is a Schengen visa?
A Schengen visa is a short-stay visa that allows you to travel to any of the 27 European countries that are part of the Schengen Area, which is a passport-free zone that covers most of Europe. With a Schengen visa, you can stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days within a 180-day period, for tourism or business purposes. You can enter and exit the Schengen Area from any of the member countries, and travel freely within them without border checks.
The Schengen Area consists of the following countries:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Croatia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Liechtenstein
Do US citizens need a Schengen visa to enter Europe?
Currently, US citizens do not need a Schengen visa to enter Europe, as they enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen Area. This means that they can visit any of the Schengen countries with just a valid US passport, without having to apply for or obtain a visa in advance.
However, this will change in 2024, when US citizens will have to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) prior to their travel to Europe. The ETIAS is not a visa, but an online travel authorization that will be required for all visa-exempt travelers who wish to enter the Schengen Area. The ETIAS will be valid for three years or until the passport expires and will allow multiple entries to the Schengen Area for up to 90 days per stay.
The ETIAS application will be simple and quick, and can be done online with a valid passport, an email address, and a credit or debit card. The applicant will have to provide some basic personal and travel information, answer some security questions, and pay a fee of €7 ($7.70). The ETIAS authorization will be issued within minutes in most cases and sent by email to the applicant. The applicant will have to print out the ETIAS authorization and present it along with their passport at the border. Once this requirement goes into effect, the traveler will be able to apply through a website and/or app (this is not available as of yet).
What documents do US citizens need to enter the Schengen Area?
Whether you need a Schengen visa or an ETIAS authorization to enter Europe, you will also have to present some other documents at the border control in order to be allowed entry. These documents include:
- A valid US passport. It must not be older than 10 years and it must be valid for at least three more months beyond your intended date of departure from the Schengen Area.
- Evidence of your purpose of entry. This could be an invitation letter, a hotel reservation, a tour itinerary, a business contract, etc., depending on the reason for your visit.
- Proof of sufficient financial means. This could be bank statements, cash, credit cards, traveler's checks, etc., showing that you have enough money to cover your expenses during your stay in Europe.
- Travel insurance. You must have travel medical insurance that covers at least 30,000 euros for emergency medical expenses and repatriation in case of illness or accident while in Europe. We can help you with this!
Please note that the border guard has the final say on whether you should be permitted to enter the Schengen Area or not, based on their assessment of your documents and your answers to their questions. Therefore, make sure that you have all the required documents with you and that you are honest and polite when talking to them. Also, make sure that you get an entry stamp in your passport when you enter the Schengen Area, as this proves that you have entered legally and counts towards your allowed stay.
We will be updating this page once the website to apply for this document is launched and available. Stay tuned!
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