WHAT IS A LIMITED VALIDITY ETIAS?

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In certain situations, it will be possible to obtain an ETIAS visa waiver with limited validity.

This means that the travel authorisation does not have the usual ETIAS specifications of being valid for 3 years for maximum stays of 90 days at a time in any and all countries in the Schengen Area.

Instead, the limited validity ETIAS is issued with specific conditions. These are defined on the travel authorisation.

limited-validity-etias

With a limited validity ETIAS, you may do the following:

  • Enter the specified country (or countries)
  • Stay for the maximum period stated on the travel authorisation
  • Make multiple trips during the stated validity period

Limited ETIAS travel authorisations may be valid for up to 90 days at most, depending on the decision of the authorities in the destination country or countries.

WHEN CAN I GET AN ETIAS WITH LIMITED VALIDITY?

When the ETIAS visa waiver platform is launched, limited validity travel authorisations will be available in unusual situations where the traveller is unable to get a normal ETIAS.

If you need to travel to a Schengen country for an important reason**, you may be able to get a limited ETIAS if the following situations apply:

  • Your standard ETIAS application has been rejected
  • Your previous ETIAS visa waiver has been revoked
  • You have reason to believe your ETIAS application will be rejected

The decision to grant a limited ETIAS lies with the authorities in the Schengen country or countries you plan to visit.

Schengen authorities may decide to grant a limited ETIAS in the following circumstances:

  • Governmental obligations, such as representation in a conference
  • You are obliged to appear in court in the destination country
  • A close relative in the destination country has a very serious illness
  • Urgent medical situations
  • You wish to attend the funeral of a close family member

A limited ETIAS for transit may be granted to allow you to stop in a Schengen country briefly.

HOW TO APPLY FOR AN ETIAS VISA WAIVER WITH LIMITED VALIDITY

You may ask for a limited ETIAS visa waiver if you have already applied for a standard ETIAS via the normal application process.

You must state:

  • The urgent reason that you need a travel authorisation — this must be for humanitarian reasons or important obligations
  • The country or countries you intend to visit

You may be asked to provide further details of your circumstances and/or extra documents to support your application.

HOW DO I FIND OUT IF MY LIMITED ETIAS HAS BEEN GRANTED?

Once the relevant authorities have processed your application, the outcome will be sent to you by email.

If your limited ETIAS is granted, the email will contain the important information about the conditions of your visa waiver, including:

  • The start date of the authorisation’s validity
  • The end date of the authorisation’s validity
  • The Schengen countries you may visit with the authorisation

If the authorisation is denied, you may reapply or alternatively apply for a Schengen visa for the relevant country.

If you are granted a standard ETIAS in the future, any limited ETIAS you have will become invalid.

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