Slovenia is a member of both Schengen and the EU The ETIAS system will be implemented in 2020 because the system will have to be approved by all Schengen States and the infrastructure must be paid for and installed before it is officially introduced. It aims to gather information and to pre-authorize the group of travelers who currently do not need a visa to enter Europe, but are not themselves Europeans, or at least not citizens of the EU or Schengen .
The information obtained from online ETIAS application forms will be shared with all Schengen authorities and it is to be hoped that this will reduce the perceived security risks that are apparent in some parts of Europe.
What is the difference between Schengen and the EU?
These are two separate but interdependent groups of counties. There are 26 Schengen members and 22 of them are in the EU Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland remain outside the EU, but are in Schengen. The Schengen Agreement has been drafted independently of the EU's immigration rules and only covers people who can go to the Schengen area. It allows free movement in both countries and makes entry into one of the Schengen Member States by non-European uniforms.
One of the advantages for non-Europeans is to reduce red tape when moving from one European Schengen country to another. Once you are in the first Schengen country, you can go to one of the others for a total of up to 90 days.
Where is Slovenia and worth visiting?
Slovenia is a small country just east of Trieste in Italy and bordering Austria to the north and Croatia to the southeast. It has always had close links with Western Europe and was the first of the former Yugoslav republics to separate and seek independence.
Slovenia does not have the beautiful coastline of Croatia, but it extends from the south to the Alps. Ljubljana, the capital, is worth visiting, if only to admire the national museum, which is large and has interesting exhibitions dating from 1821.
Much of Slovenia's mountainous interior is a limestone country and is full of intriguing caves, waterfalls and hidden lakes.
Will a Slovenian ETIAS be needed to travel?
There is currently no need to hold an ETIAS for EU Schengen trips, even if you are a national of one of the critical groups of visa-exempt countries that will be affected by ETIAS. The EU Commission has indicated that etias-france will probably start in early 2020 after all the necessary infrastructure has been put in place and after obtaining the approval of the Member States.
Once ETIAS is operational and you want to visit one or more of the Schengen countries, you just have to apply online if you do not need a visa and if you are not European or holder of an EU or Schengen passport. Many people who must currently obtain a Schengen visa in advance will not be eligible for ETIAS and must continue to apply for a Schengen visa.