ETIAS Visa Waiver for Travelers from Argentina

Argentina is going to join the EU’s new ETIAS (European Union Travel and Authorisation System) visa, for travel in the Schengen area. The visa is total allowing itinerated movement in the whole of the Schengen area for 90 days. The new visa will launch from the start of 2023, until then Argentinians will need to arrange normal visas for travel to the EU.

The ETIAS visa waiver has come to tackle heightened terrorist threats, and it will monitor and screen the individuals coming into the EU by cross-referencing data with Interpol records. When the system flags up a potential threat, it will prevent the ETIAS visa waiver from being granted, theoretically reducing the risks of travellers carrying out violent crime and terrorism.

All Argentines must get an ETIAS if they want to travel to the Schengen zone . This includes over-70s and under-18s, but they will not have to pay an application fee. Argentinians will need to go through the process of applying for an ETIAS visa for everyone in their party, and they must wait for all to be approved before leaving. It is worth those travelling in large parties to apply for the ETIAS visa waiver with plenty of time to spare so that the group is not split up by delays.

Getting hold of an ETIAS visa is a simple process for Argentinians. It won’t take them long to find the required documentation and to complete the online forms. Only a passport, an address, and a credit or debit card are required.

The inquiries on the online form are easy as well. They are mostly basic information inquiries, like the applicant’s name, current address, birthdate and birthplace, travel itinerary and their parents’ basic information. Some of the questions have wider legal implications than this, like inquiries on terrorism connections, travel to conflict areas, connections to human trafficking, illegal drug use, past and current employment, and any previous visits to Europe.

Predictions are already out that ETIAS applications will have an extremely large acceptance rate at 95%. Speed will also be a factor in favour of EU border forces. Despite the fact that many applications will have to be manually processed, most will take just one working day. If the administrative teams need more documentation more time will be required: up to three working days.

Of the roughly 5% of Argentinians who will have their ETIAS visa refused, they will find it happen for one of three reasons. These are: a discovery that incorrect information has been used in the application, Interpol cross-references finding that the applicant may be a danger to EU residents, and concerns about the applicant’s travel itinerary.

Some options remain in the unlikely event that an Argentinian has their ETIAS application rejected. Normally, more documentation, provided within 96 hours, will deal with the issue. It will then take four weeks for the receiving nation to make a decision.

Sometimes though an application will still be refused despite the Argentinian’s best efforts. If this happens, they will have to either not travel, or proceed with an application with the standard visa for longer than 90 days of travel.

The ETIAS visa will allow Argentinian citizens to travel for business, medical access, or pleasure to most of the EU and non-EU nations. Argentinians can use it to go to the 22 Schengen countries (Sweden, Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Latvia, Germany, France, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Spain, Luxembourg, Denmark, Lithuania, Malta, Slovenia, Estonia, and the Czech Republic), with a single visa.

ETIAS will also give Argentinians access to de facto Schengen micro-states (the wealthy nations of Monaco and San Marino, and the Catholic state of Vatican City), and the non-EU Schengen members (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland.) Argentines can make their travel to the EU within three years of being awarded it. The visa allows travel for up to 90 days.

No ETIAS visa waiver is needed for Argentinians who do not want to visit within the Schengen area. These include EU nations like Ireland, Cyprus, Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria, as well as non-EU nations in Europe who are not part of the Schengen agreement.