Citizens of 63 countries will soon only be able to enter Hungary with a visa

From November, non-EU citizens will only be able to enter the Schengen area with a visa. This concerns Hungary as well since the country is part of the area. We can travel across the countries in the Schengen area freely without having to show our passport at the border and any kind of border control. For people coming from or going to countries that are not part of the area, it is not so easy.

New rules concerning entering the Schengen area

Currently, Serbian passports are valid for travel to countries in the Schengen area. Neither a visa, nor a prior authorisation is required. However, from 2023, entry will be subject to a prior online application with a fee, the N1 news portal reported. Visa applications will be made through the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, ETIAS.

This idea was born in 2018 and aims to control the external borders of the European Union and protect its citizens. The system identifies security threats before they enter the EU, Index.hu writes. It is currently planned to apply the new set of rules from November this year.

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Important information about the submission

Applications must be submitted via the ETIAS website or mobile app. The form must be filled in at least 96 hours before the date of travel and must include passport details and personal information, as well as email contact details. The fee of HUF 2800 (EUR 7) can be paid by credit card.

There is no visa fee for those under 18 or over 70. Admission is free of charge for minors and the elderly. It is estimated that the application process takes around ten minutes. The approval is received within minutes of the application being submitted.

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Visa will be required from citizens of 63 countries

The entry permit is valid for three years. During this period, there is no limit on the number of trips to EU countries. ETIAS, for example, allows Serbian citizens to stay in the European Union for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

From November, non-EU citizens will only be able to enter the following countries with an ETIAS permit: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, the Netherlands, Croatia, Iceland, Poland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Hungary, Malta, Germany, Norway, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

The ETIAS system aims to mitigate not only security risks, but also health and migration risks, Index writes. It covers 63 countries that are not members of the European Union but whose citizens can enter the Schengen area without a visa.

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Source: rs.n1info.com, Index.hu