ETIAS Switzerland visa for Canadian citizens
From 2023, Canadian citizens will have to present an approved ETIAS permit upon entry in Switzerland. ETIAS permit can be obtained online, by filling out the ETIAS application form online and receiving your visa via e-mail once the application is approved. The ETIAS visa will allow Canadian citizens to enter Switzerland for work, tourism, transit, or medical reasons, as long as the duration of the trip is under 90 days, and the permit will be valid for multiple entries made by air, sea, or land. Moreover, people between 18 and 70 years of age will be able to apply for this visa free of charge.
What is ETIAS visa for Canadian citizens
ETIAS will come into force in 2023, as part of a program of the European Commission aimed at strengthening European borders and keeping a digital track on all people travelling to the territories of the European Schengen Area. Following some terrorist attacks that affected some European countries, this program was already approved in 2016. In the last years, data sharing between countries in the European Union has been expanded, and this allowed for the creation of the ETIAS visa system, that connects the applications for this visa with already existing databases.
How does ETIAS Switzerland work for Canadian citizens
From 2023 Canadian citizens must be in possession of an ETIAS visa before travelling to Switzerland. If the trip is longer than 90 days or has other reasons than those required for ETIAS, they will have to obtain a full visitor Schengen permit at the embassy or consulate of Switzerland, respecting the timing and requirements for the visa they are applying for. Once issued, the ETIAS visa has a duration of 3 years, and will allow to travel multiple times in Switzerland and other Schengen Area countries, provided that each trip has a duration of less than 90 days. To make sure you get your approved ETIAS visa in time for your trip, it is recommended to apply for the visa at least 4 days in advance. If the ETIAS visa is denied, you can still apply for a Schengen permit at the embassy or consulate of Switzerland or present an appeal to the country that denied the visa.
ETIAS destination countries for Canadian citizens
From November 2023 ETIAS visa will come into force for Canadian citizens to travel to the following countries:
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
At the time being, Canadian citizens will not have to have ETIAS to travel to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania, since these countries are currently not part of the Schengen Area. However, this may change in the future, so please keep updated with the requirements.
ETIAS requirements for Canadian citizens and how to apply
In order to apply for ETIAS, you have to be a Canadian citizen and hold a valid electronic passport issued by the Canada of America. If you do not have an Canadian passport, you will have to apply for a full visitor Schengen permit.
ETIAS visa application can be completed online, entering all the necessary information by following the required steps, and making sure all the data is entered correctly. Once the application form is completed, all citizens aged between 18 and 70 years will also be required to pay a 7 euros fee, using a credit or debit card. Normally, most ETIAS permits are issued within few minutes, or at most in a few hours, and the approved ETIAS visa will be sent via e-mail as a PDF file. In addition to that, you are not required to print the visa, because all the information will already be in the European Schengen authorities’ databases, and this information will be linked to the passport data provided during the application.
However, in order to avoid delays, it is recommended to apply for ETIAS at least 4 days before the departure, to make sure that the ETIAS is approved and to have the necessary time to provide any additional documents should they be required. If an ETIAS visa is denied, you can apply for a full visitor Schengen permit at the embassy or consulate of Switzerland. In order to avoid mistakes that could lead to delays in the visa approval, it is highly recommended to carefully read and check all the requirements for the ETIAS visa.
How much does the ETIAS visa cost for Canadian citizens
The ETIAS application for Canadian citizens has a cost of 7 euros for all citizens with an age between 18 and 70 years, which must be paid after completing the application form using a credit or debit card. Canadian citizens under 18 and over 70 years of age can apply for ETIAS free of charge.