Acquiring an ETIAS travel authorization is not as complicated as applying for a visa. After all, it is a process that millions of people must apply for and it exists in some of the richest tourists nations in the world. The goal is to refuse access to terrorists, not to deter tourists, so it’s generally very simple.
However, it’s possible to have your ETIAS refused or your access annulled even if you’ve done nothing wrong. Such occurrences are rare, but they do happen, and they can complicate your departure and even ruin your travel plans.
To avoid disaster, make sure you’re prepared to deal with an ETIAS rejection, revocation, or annulment before you travel.
Can An ETIAS Be Revoked or Annulled?
You need to meet certain criteria to be accepted for an ETIAS visa waiver. For instance, you must not be on the ETIAS Watchlist and you must not be considered a security threat. You also need to apply using valid documents and details.
If there are no such issues when you apply, the application should go smoothly and you’ll be granted your visa waiver. However, if the issues occur at a later date, it could be revoked or annulled.
Such issues include:
- False details were supplied during the application process
- The traveler’s details have triggered an alert
- The traveler is now deemed to be a security threat due to recent information or discoveries
- The user’s passport has been reported as stolen or lost
- Errors were made during the application that were not discovered immediately
- The Terms and Conditions have changed and the traveler no longer adheres to them
Can An ETIAS Be Refused?
You go through the ETIAS application process, receive the acceptance email, and then set off for the airport. Everything is set, and you have a short flight and a long holiday ahead of you, right?
Not quite.
It’s possible for your ETIAS to be rejected at the border.
This rejection is most likely to occur at external border checkpoints—the ones you pass when you first enter the region as opposed to the ones you cross when you’re already in the Schengen Zone.
An ETIAS doesn’t mean that you can walk through without any checks, and border security still have the right to refuse entry for any of the following reasons:
- The traveler doesn’t produce a valid passport
- The ETIAS has expired
- The ETIAS expires before the return date
- The traveler has exceeded their maximum stay
- The traveler has appeared on the ETIAS Watchlist
Remember, your ETIAS visa waiver is an addition to your usual travel documents, it does not apply indefinitely (it is limited to stays of 90 days within any 180-day period), and it expires after three years or when your passport expires.
How to Prevent ETIAS Issues
To ensure that your application is accepted without delay and that you don’t suffer the frustration and indignity of revocation or annulment, remember all of the following:
- Enter your information correctly.
- Double-check everything before confirming your submission.
- Check the validity of your passport and ETIAS before booking your vacation.
- Never forget your passport when you travel.
- Don’t overstay the time allowed by your ETIAS.
As noted above, the ETIAS program is not there to complicate things for travelers. It is not a visa program, and it’s definitely not something you need to worry about. In an age of COVID/vaccination certificates, it can feel like it’s just another step and another headache, but like those COVID checks, it’s a necessary one and it makes a big difference for the issuing authorities.
