Malaysians opting to travel to European Union Countries from the year 2020 will be subjected to a new immigration process known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
The mandatory process – which is implemented to combat potential threats of ineligible individuals attempting to cross the EU state borders – will be required before boarding and is advisable be applied for 72 hours before departure.
The document will be applied and processed online within 10 minutes and is expected to cost 10 Euros (RM48.07) for those above the age of 18.
However, this is imposed to visa-free countries and is valid up to three years or until the passport expiry date, whichever comes first.
There will be a 90-day stay period for citizens of visa-free countries at Schengen Area. Schengen Area refers to all EU states excluding Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and The United Kingdom.
It is learnt the immigration process is used to address the potential threats of ineligible individuals before they can cross the borders of the EU states. Each individual travelling in a group will need to be authorised.
Documents required include a valid passport from a visa-free country, a valid credit card and contact information. The application is then screened through various systems before authorisation is granted. The applicant will be informed via email if their application has been approved or declined.
For further information on ETIAS, you can refer to the guide on schengnevisainfo.
Frequently visited countries which will be imposed with ETIAS include Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands amongst others.
Picture by The Straits Times
