Once ETIAS is formalized, it will be mandatory for all citizens of so-called "visa-free" countries. These are the 60 strange countries in the world whose citizens can currently visit most of Europe without being controlled or controlled by a visa application. This means that if you are an American, for example, you do not need a visa to visit Poland or another EU or Schengen country, but you will need to apply for an ETIAS visa exemption after 2020.
Even if you cross the border in your own car or ride a ferry, you will have to apply in advance (at least 72 hours) for your ETIAS approval and pay the 5 € fee. The good news is that once you have applied and been approved for the trip, you do not have to reapply for another 5 years.
Poland to Schengen and what does it mean?
Poland is both in Schengen as well as in the EU The two groups of countries are almost the same composition, but the Schengen agreement is just to regulate border entry, while the EU is concerned with a lot of other things environment. Poles can travel to any other Schengen country to travel, live or work. They can also go to any non-Schengen EU country, such as Great Britain, Bulgaria, Ireland and Cyprus.
There are many people in the world who need what is called a "Schengen visa" before going to one of the Schengen blocks. Once their passport is stamped or verified at the first Schengen Customs check, they can travel to any other Schengen country as long as their visit does not exceed 90 days in total. Poland's ETIAS will not change this visa requirement as it is designed for use by nationals of visa-exempt countries such as the United States, Japan or Australia.
Does anyone visit Poland for fun?
The number of tourists visiting Poland has risen sharply following the country's accession to the European Union. Tourists are drawn to the centers of Poland's Old Town, such as Warsaw, Krakow and Poznan. Poland suffered two great epochs in the last century, first because of the anguish of the Second World War and the gas chambers of Auschwitz, then during the Soviet era, but the Poles have since recovered and prospered.
Poland does not only concern cities. There are many landscapes too, with one of the 23 national parks of Poland to visit. Bialowieza National Park is the largest intact forest in Europe with one of the last wild bison populations in Europe to roam. The Tatra National Park protects part of the Tatra Mountains in Poland and contains the highest mountain in Poland, Rysy. Other national parks and wilderness areas have great hikes, waterfalls, lakes and coastal dunes.
Who will have to apply for an ETIAS in Poland?
Remember that ETIAS is not yet operational. It should not come into force until the beginning of 2020. Indeed, many infrastructures must be installed in the 26 countries of the Schengen area, in particular in all the border posts. Some of the new Schengen countries that have recently joined do not have processes and border and immigration infrastructures as sophisticated as their richer counterparts, such as Belgium, France and Germany.
Once ETIAS is deployed, the only people affected are non-EU or Schengen passport holders from visa-exempt countries. This means that if you do not need a visa at the moment and can visit Europe, but you do not have a European passport, you will need to apply for ETIAS authorization once it is launched in Poland.