ETIAS (The European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a new visa-waiver requirement set to impact millions of travelers once it launches in 2026. US, UK, and Canadian citizens will be among the several nationalities required to get ETIAS approval before heading to many countries in Europe.

It’s a big change, as US citizens will no longer be able to hop across the pond with just a passport in hand. Several questions continue to pop up about what ETIAS is and if Schengen travel insurance will be required to get approval.

Schengen travel insurance is mandatory for visa applicants, but will it be mandatory for ETIAS applicants too?

Understanding ETIAS: A Bit of Context

All of the different requirements can be confusing to distinguish. Who needs a visa? Is ETIAS a visa?

For starters, ETIAS is not a visa.

Individual countries have specific agreements with the Schengen area, a collection of countries in Europe that have a shared visa policy.

There are currently 29 member countries, including France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, and others. Notably, the UK and Ireland are not in the Schengen area.

Some countries have an agreement with the Schengen area that allows their citizens to travel to any country in the zone without a visa, so long as they stay fewer than 90 days, and the trip is primarily for leisure or tourism. This is called a visa waiver agreement. US and UK citizens, among many others, are visa-exempt.

Not all countries have an agreement like this with the zone. In this case, citizens of said countries cannot travel to the Schengen area without a visa. This means that they need to go through the Schengen visa application process before they visit. The process requires several documents, including bank statements and proof of hotel. It also requires in-person appointments and fingerprinting.

In 2018, the legal basis for ETIAS was adopted.

Designed for visa-exempt travelers, ETIAS was introduced for several reasons, namely to prevent illegal immigration and enhance security throughout the entire zone and all of its member countries.

The ETIAS Requirements

Understanding what exactly ETIAS is, who it is for, and why it was created is helpful when it comes to understanding what will be required of obligated travelers.

ETIAS, unlike the Schengen visa, does not require applicants to submit multiple pieces of documentation. In fact, all that is required of applicants is a valid passport, information about you and your trip, and a debit/credit card to pay the mandatory fee online.

The Schengen visa application process typically begins weeks, if not months, before a planned trip. The ETIAS process is significantly faster. According to the European Union, it will only take around 20 minutes to complete for most applicants. Plus, it’s entirely online.

The requirements:

• A valid passport issued within the last 10 years. It must have at least 3 months of remaining validity beyond your intended stay.
• Personal information, such as your full name, birth date, occupation, level of education, and address.
• Some details about your trip, namely where you are going and when.
• A valid debit or credit card.

These requirements vary greatly from visa requirements. Schengen visa applicants must provide proof of financial sustenance, accommodations in the zone, Schengen travel insurance, and more.

There Is One Caveat

All of that said, there is one caveat.

While proof of finances, return flights, and accommodations are not mandatory when applying for ETIAS, they are still general requirements to visit the Schengen area.

In addition to that, different countries within the zone can have their own requirements too. According to the French Government, for instance, all foreign visitors are required to carry Schengen travel insurance.

Generally speaking, travelers from visa-exempt countries are not asked to show proof that these conditions are met, but it doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

In fact, the US Government specifies that US citizens heading to Europe must have sufficient funds and a return plane ticket before traveling.

In summary

ETIAS applicants do not need to show proof of Schengen travel insurance when they apply for approval, but some countries in the Schengen zone may require you to have it nonetheless.