Al Marsad: The European Commission has announced the launch of the visa-waiver system (ETIAS), which means that all non-EU passport holders need prior permission before flights to enter the European bloc.
The license will come into effect by November 2023, according to a new memorandum from the European Commission. according to cnn.
ETIAs is not a visa, but rather a visa waiver scheme, just like the ESTA program in the United States, which was launched in 2008.
The license does not replace visas and will only be applicable to non-EU citizens from countries that do not currently need an EU visa.
The authorization is faster than visa processing, is done online, and does not require any biometric information.
The application process for licensing will be via a “highly automated IT system”, with approval granted “within minutes” for about 95 percent of applicants, according to a new memorandum from the European Union.
The maximum time required for approval of an application may be up to a month in “extremely exceptional cases.