ETIAS, aka The European Travel Information Authorization System, will soon be implemented, and if you're wondering what that is, I'm here to break it all down.

If you've been dreaming of seeing the Swiss Alps, the Eiffel Tower or the Amalfi Coast, make note that starting in 2025, ETIAS travel authorization will be required for visa-exempt Canadians travelling to 30 different European countries.

Applying costs a small fee, but the process is pretty simple.

What is ETIAS?

According to the European Union, once in effect, "Some 1.4 billion people from over 60 visa-exempt countries are required to have a travel authorisation to enter 30 European countries for a short stay."

While it doesn't guarantee entry, Canadian travellers with a valid ETIAS travel authorization can enter the 30 European countries as often as they want for short-term stays normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Why implement this change? ETIAS was created by The European Union to help monitor travellers "who might pose a security or migration risk."

The hope is that the system will also help reduce procedures and wait times while addressing security concerns, ensuring travellers who live in other countries have been given further clearance before entering certain European destinations.

The destinations include:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

Your ETIAS travel authorization will be linked to your passport so make sure to carry the same passport which you use in your ETIAS application.

Applying for ETIAS

Now that you know what the travel authorization is, it's time to apply.

The application process will require a valid passport and the personal information of whoever is travelling. Your passport should not expire in less than three months and it should not be older than 10 years.

You'll also be asked for details about your intended travel and stay in the country requiring ETIAS.

The fee costs €7 (or $10.31 CAD) and will be good for up to three years or until your passport expires. Applicants who are under 18 or above 70 years of age are exempt from the payment.

Applicants should receive a decision within four days of submitting. Be sure to jot down your ETIAS application number for future reference.

While applications are not being accepted yet, this is your reminder to get everything in order for when they are.

Hoping to hit up the UK during your Europe travels? The UK Government is introducing Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for millions of visitors, including Canadians, and it's slightly different than ETIAS.

Non-European visitors can apply for an ETA now and will need one to travel to the UK starting as soon as Jan. 8, 2025. Similar to ETIAS, the fee costs £10 (17.76 CAD) and permits multiple journeys lasting for two years or until the passport expires. Once granted, ETAs are digitally linked to a traveller's passport.

While ETA has a date, no exact date has been set for ETIAS, but 2025 is quickly approaching, Canada.