The luxembourgish ETIAS is on the way. Luxembourg is one of the oldest members of the EU, one of the top six. He is also a member of Schengen. As you may know, Europe has suffered terrorist attacks that have occurred quite often in recent years and there has been an ongoing debate on how to improve security. One of the solutions is to make the entry process a little more selective.
The EU Travel Information Clearing System (ETIAS) means that millions of visitors who did not need a visa for Europe up to now must disclose information about themselves at least 72 hours before their arrival in Europe. EU authorities will review applications online and verify names and other information against a database. Information about these people will then be shared among all other EU authorities. ETIAS will not be operational, but for at least 3 additional years. The European Commission has announced very recently that it should be operational by the beginning of 2020.
Luxembourg is part of Schengen but what does it mean?
The difference between Schengen and the EU causes a lot of confusion, especially for those who do not know Europe very well. The two groups are separate, with Schengen focusing on the border rules, who is allowed to go where and for how long. All the signatory countries of the Schengen Agreement, like Luxembourg, have the same rules of immigration as the others. Any member country of the Schengen area has freedom of movement in any other Schengen country and the rules applicable to nationals of non-Schengen countries are the same for each country. There are only a few countries that are in Schengen, but not in the EU (Norway and Switzerland are two examples). The ETIAS system will probably apply to all non-EU non-Schengen nationals.
Why visit Luxembourg?
It is probably true that most people tend to cross Luxembourg or arrive by plane at the airport and stay overnight before leaving. It's a shame because the city of Luxembourg is at the top of a cliff and offers a fantastic view. Many of the city's historic buildings are inscribed on the World Heritage List and should not be missed. Although the city itself is very busy, most Luxembourg residents live in the surrounding countryside, which is very appealing. Luxembourg has had an interesting history sandwiched between France, Belgium and Germany. The country is the second smallest in the EU but has a remarkably high standard of living, which also translates into high prices for virtually everything.
Do not forget the old town of Echternach with the basilica of the Abbey of Echternach, where is buried the most famous of the Luxembourg saints.
Will I need a Luxembourg ETIAS visa waiver?
Currently, all we know is that your status will not change if you are an EU or Schengen citizen or a passport holder who has already been in need. a Schengen visa arranged in advance until now. It seems unlikely that no one in these two groups will be affected by ETIAS. The people who will be affected are those who live in places like Canada, the United States, some countries of Latin America like Chile and Argentina. These people as well as many others around the world will certainly need to apply in advance in the near future. This will apparently cost only 5 euros for a simple ETIAS application, but it will last 5 years after its publication. Find out if you need an ETIAS or Schengen visa .