The new requirement, for the citizens of 59 countries up to now, to be allowed to enter Schengen space, ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) has a number of interesting features that differ from other authorizations such as ESTA to enter the United States.  One of them is the fact that applicants under 18 and above 70 years old are exempt from paying tax 7€, whereas applying for ESTA all passport holders including babies, are required the 21$ fee payment.

But careful! it doesn´t mean that they are exempt from filling up the form. All travelers entering Schengen Space holding a passport, or any other valid travel document, are required to submit passport/travel document details along with every other question included in the form.

The associated fee 7€ is electronically paid using the common methods of payment for debit/credit cards, and also taking into consideration the technological advancements in the countries requiring ETIAS in order to avoid possible payment problems if there is no access to certain payment means. Paypal payments are not accepted at this moment. The application will not be formally submitted until the fee payment is finished.

Other exemptions affecting ETIAS and do not need it to enter Schengen space are:

• Nationals of any European country requiring ETIAS
• Nationals of any country that already need a visa to enter Schengen space
• UK nationals who are beneficiary of the Withdrawal Agreement.
• Nationals of the following countries: Andorra, San Marino, Monaco, the Holy See (the Vatican City State) and Ireland
• A refugee or stateless person holding a travel document issued by a State member requiring ETIAS
• Any person that holds a residency card/permit issued by ETIAS State member.
• Holders of all different visas, diplomatic, service or special passport

One interesting feature that travel authorization ETIAS do have is the exception, rather than exemption, of making available to some travelers the possibility of requesting an ETIAS travel authorization with limited validity. What are the conditions that determine whether you are eligible for applying? You must fulfill these two conditions:

1. Travel is necessary due to humanitarian reasons, or must attend important obligations.
2. Your application has been refused, annulled, revoked, or you assume it will be so.

The final decision whether the limited validity ETIAS will be granted, lies exclusively on the ETIAS country the applicant will travel to. Some circumstances they may take into consideration, at the time the decision has to be taken, are:

• • Life-threatening illness of applicant or relative
  • Funeral
  • Urgent and severe medical cases
  • Inter-governmental conferences
  • Appearing in court
  • Transit with temporary stay

Whatever the result may be to these special requests or to any ETIAS application, they will all be communicated to the applicant´s provided  e-mail address.