Starting the last quarter of 2026, all Americans will need a VISA to travel to Europe. The process is very easy to follow and outlined below.

1) Go to the official ETIAS website

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias (applications will open closer to the effective date of the new VISA regulations)

2) Fill out the online form

- Takes about 10 minutes

- Requires your passport details, travel plans, and a few security questions

3) Pay the €20 fee (Pay by Card)

4) Get confirmation by email

- Most approvals come through within minutes

- Some may take up to 4 days or more if additional review is needed

Important Notes

- Apply at least 1 month before your trip to be safe

- Especially important: Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months after your departure from Europe

- ETIAS is valid for 3 years (or until your passport expires)

- It allows multiple short stays within that time