Liechtenstein is the fourth-smallest country in Europe and has a population of less than 40,000.
It’s not a popular tourist destination, but it’s popular with business travelers and those seeking to step foot in as many European countries as they can.
If you reside in a country that has signed the Schengen Agreement, you are free to travel to Liechtenstein and shouldn’t have an issue doing so. However, if you live outside of this area, and you’re traveling after the end of 2022, you may need to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver.
ETIAS Visa Waiver for Liechtenstein
The European Travel Information and Authorization System, known simply as the “ETIAS”, is a visa waiver that applies to all countries within the Schengen Area and is required of travelers outside of this area.
Liechtenstein is not a member of the European Union (EU) but it is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and the European Economic Area (EEA), allowing it to trade freely with EU member states. It has also signed the Schengen Agreement, facilitating the free movement of people to and from Liechtenstein.
Do I Need an ETIAS Visa Waiver to Visit Liechtenstein?
If you live in a Schengen member state, which currently includes 22 EU countries and all four countries in the European Free Trade Association, you do not need an ETIAS to visit Liechtenstein or other Schengen countries.
If not, you may be required to apply for an ETIAS.
The form can be completed online and usually takes just 10 minutes, requiring:
- Basic personal and travel details
- A valid machine-readable passport with at least 3 months of validity
- An email address to receive ETIAS authorization
- A credit card or debit card to pay the small ETIAS fee
Using the ETIAS Visa Waiver for Liechtenstein
Once you receive travel authorization, you will be free to visit Liechtenstein and other countries. There is no specific Liechtenstein ETIAS, just as there are no specific programs for Italy, France, Greece, and other Schengen countries. You’re applying for a single ETIAS to gain access to all Schengen countries, as opposed to individual ones for each nation that you visit.
Visiting Liechtenstein with an ETIAS Visa Waiver
Liechtenstein is not exactly top of every traveler’s bucket list, but it still has a lot to offer. The country is very safe and very beautiful, with sweeping mountain ranges and fairy tale castles. It’s far from big and is more like a quaint German/Swiss town, but it’s still worth a visit.
What’s more, Liechtenstein is bordered by both Austria and Switzerland and it is also a short trek from Germany and cities like Munich, as well as Italy and both Milan and Venice.
If you’re able to access Liechtenstein via the European Travel Information and Authorization System, then you’ll also have access to Austria, Germany, and Italy, so it could be an interesting starting destination.