Starting 2021, European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be mandatory for Malaysians to apply prior to entering Europe’s Schengen Area. The Schengen Area is comprised of 22 European Union countries like Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, among others, as well as 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

ETIAS It is an electronic visa waiver designed to improve the screening of visa-exempt travelers to the region, to strengthen border control in the EU and to improve security for Europeans living in the Schengen Zone, and visitors traveling to it.

ETIAS is not a visa as the process of an ETIAS authorisation is automated and centralised across the Schengen Area whereas an EU visa is processed on a case-by-case basis by the visa officials of each Member State.

So while Malaysians can still enjoy EU access without a visa, a valid ETIAS Authorisation is required in order to be able to stay in the Schengen Area for a period of up to 90 days.

It is necessary to meet the following 3 basic ETIAS requirements for Malaysian citizens:

• A valid Malaysian passport with at least 3 three months validity remaining from the date of arrival in the Schengen Area
• A current email address (needed to receive a copy of the approved ETIAS visa waiver)
• A credit or debit card (to pay the ETIAS from Malaysia fee)

Applicants for the ETIAS from Malaysia must have a biometric passport that is machine-readable.

Those who have dual nationality in Malaysia and another country should use the same passport to complete the ETIAS application as that which they will later use to travel to the Schengen Area, as ETIAS is electronically linked to an individual passport. Malaysian citizens who erroneously attempt to travel to ETIAS countries with the wrong passport are likely to be denied boarding their transportation carrier or turned away at Schengen border control.

ETIAS is available online and it’s valid for 3 years at 7 Euros (approx RM32.50).

Applying online only takes a few minutes to complete with personal, passport, and travel information, including:

• Full name
• Gender
• Nationality
• Place of birth
• Date of birth
• Country of birth
• Current address
• Passport number
• Issue and expiry date of the passport
• Phone number
• Email address
• Schengen member state of first intended entry.

It is also necessary to answer a few security-and-health related questions, including about:

• Criminal history
• Employment history
• Drug use
• Travel to conflict areas
• Past European travel information

It’s recommended to apply for the Europe visa waiver at least 72 hours (3 days) before the intended date of entry to the Schengen Area in order to allow sufficient processing time for the ETIAS to be approved.

For more information, visit https://www.etiasvisa.com/etias-requirements/malaysians