People take an evening stroll on Prague's Charles Bridge. Beginning next year, many U.S. military personnel living and working in Europe will have to apply for leisure travel authorization using a new system that requires personal details. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. service members living and working in Europe will have to submit their personal information and pass a security screening to vacation or travel outside of their job in 30 European countries after new travel rules go into effect next year.
Required details include current job, education level and criminal history, according to the European Travel Information and Authorization System website. The Schengen Area countries participating in ETIAS include the members of the European Union except for Ireland. Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland also will participate.
The regulation applies to citizens of the U.S., Australia, Canada and about 57 countries who can enter for short-term visits without a visa. It’s still unclear just when the new policy will take effect, but it is scheduled to happen sometime in 2024.
The windmills of Kinderdijk, Netherlands, are a popular tourist attraction. American service members will have to apply for authorization to travel to 30 European countries beginning next year. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
U.S. personnel covered by the NATO Status of Forces Agreement are exempt when traveling with orders for work, a European Commission spokesperson said this month in response to questions. The commission is the governing body of the European Union.
If a person is traveling while not on duty, they need an ETIAS authorization, according to program guidelines.
People with a valid resident permit for any European country which typically would require ETIAS also are not bound by the rule, the European Commission spokesperson said. That covers most U.S. military dependents, DOD civilians and their families.
Under the SOFA, service members do not need a resident permit to enter and remain in a NATO country as part of their job. In Germany, they are not eligible for a SOFA card, a type of residence permit typically issued to military family members and U.S. civilians working for the Defense Department and their dependents.
SOFA sets the rules, rights and responsibilities under which U.S. personnel may live and work in allied member countries.
A couple looks out across Paris toward Sacre Coeur basilica through the clock at the Musee d’Orsay. The European Travel Information and Authorization System will be implemented next year, and U.S. service members will have to submit personal information to seek authorization to travel to much of Europe. (Michael Abrams/Stars and Stripes)
The regulation to submit personal information and travel documents applies to everyone, regardless of age. But only applicants age 18-70 have to pay a fee of 7 euros. Authorizaton would be required for all travel, including Morale, Welfare and Recreation trips or other organized activities.
Defense Department officials say they still are studying what impacts the new travel regulations may have on service members and civilian workers.
Once the effects are determined, the DOD foreign clearance guide will provide relevant information, Air Force spokeswoman Laura Andrews said.
The checks of U.S. citizens and others from visa-free countries are needed to ensure safety, according to the commission. The pre-screening helps to determine if those travelers pose a “security, illegal immigration, or public health risk,” the commission has said.
A similar American program screens citizens of European and other countries, also requiring authorization before they can visit the U.S. for short-term stays.
If granted, the travel authorization is good for three years or until the submitted travel documents expire, whichever comes first, the website states. The authorization is not a visa.
Authorization isn’t guaranteed. Applications can be rejected or revoked, but there is an appeal process, the website states.
EU officials estimate that 97% of applications will be approved in seconds, while the remainder will require a deeper review, according to schengenvisainfo.com.
Travelers won’t be allowed to board a plane or other transportation headed to an ETIAS country without an authorization, according to the website.
