Comparing ETIAS with Schengen Visa requirements
ETIAS and Schengen Visa are somehow complementary. All non-EU travellers coming to EU/Schengen Area from abroad need one of these two documents to authorize their entry and ETIAS can be used to such extent only in those situations where a Consular Visa is not required. Essentially it all comes down to the different eligibility criteria that differentiate the two travel permits.
ETIAS eligibility depens first and foremost on the nationality of passport of the travellers since only citizens of 60 countries are currently allowed to apply for an ETIAS. Citizens of all other Nations are only eligibile for Schengen Visa.
Albeit being a necessary condition, having nationality of a Visa Waiver country, is not sufficient to be considered eligible to apply and use an ETIAS since there are more conditions of use that are just as important.
ETIAS eligibility is indeed also linked to the purpose of the journey. The only authorized activities with ETIAS are as follows:
- Tourism, leisure and family visit
- Business, commerce and trade
- Medical therapy
- Transit
Therefore, even visitors with a passport from a Visa Waiver Country might need a Schengen Visa if the purpose of their journey is for instance long term study, employment, or family reunion.
One more criterion that must be considered is that of the duration of stay. When travelling on a ETIAS the aggregate permanence in EU/Schengen Area, and not just in a single Country, must indeed always remain below the limit of ninety days whithin a six months period. As logical outcome travellers are not considered eligible for ETIAS if, for instance, they wish to stay in Europe more than 90 consecutive days even though they are just travelling for tourism or any other authorized purpose. In such situations even a traveller from Visa Waiver Country, coming to Europe for one of the purposes authorized by the ETIAS protocol, would need to be in possession of a valid Schengen Visa since ETIAS would not cover for such an extended permanence.