Visa and entry requirement guides

What ETIAS is, who it will affect, how much it will cost, and why its launch date keeps slipping.

The real differences between travelling visa-free, with an e-Visa, an electronic travel authorisation (ETA), or a visa on arrival, with verified examples.

What an ESTA is, who needs one, what it costs and how long it lasts, plus the mistakes that leave travellers stranded, such as applying late.

Which countries ask you to fill in an arrival card online before you travel, when to submit it, on which official site, and why it is almost always free.

Who needs a B1/B2 visa for the United States, the DS-160 form, the USD 185 fee, the interview, what changed in 2025 and 2026, and where Cuban, Venezuelan and Haitian nationals stand.

The UK's electronic travel authorisation: £20, valid for two years, mandatory since 2026 for visa-exempt visitors. Which nationalities need it and what happens on a layover.

Who has to apply for the K-ETA to enter South Korea visa-free, which 22 countries are exempt until 31 December 2026, the fee, the wait and how to apply.

How the Schengen short-stay rule really works, with the official calculation method and our free 90/180 calculator.

When an Airport Transit Visa (ATV) is required even if you're staying airside, and when you actually have to clear border control.

What role entry/exit stamps play, why the EU doesn't always use them anymore since the EES system, and what to do if something goes wrong.

How Spain's private-visit letter of invitation (carta de invitación) works, who can issue one, what documents it requires, and the official fee.

BLS vs VFS: how they differ, which one applies to you depending on where you live, what they can and can't do with your Schengen visa and what they charge.

Where and when to apply for a Schengen short-stay visa, the documents and fee the EU Visa Code requires, and how long the decision takes.

Exactly what Article 15 of the EU Visa Code requires, how the consulate checks the insurance, who is exempt, and which policy flaws get an application rejected.

Apply between 6 months and 15 days before travel. Consulates decide within 15 calendar days (up to 45). The real bottleneck is getting an appointment.

What the EU Entry/Exit System is, who it applies to, what biometric data it records and how long it keeps it. Fully operational since April 2026.

The 29 Schengen countries, the EU members that are not in it (Ireland and Cyprus), the microstates, and the overseas territories where the 90 days do not apply.

Why so many countries ask for 6 months of passport validity, who actually enforces it, and who just applies it out of caution.

The most common reasons for entry denial, what happens at the border checkpoint, your right to appeal, and how to lower your risk.

When travel insurance is a genuine entry requirement rather than just a recommendation, including the Schengen area's minimum required coverage.

How much money each Schengen country asks tourists to show, how Spain calculates it, and why it differs from the non-lucrative visa requirement.

What each box on the Annex VI refusal form means, how the right of appeal works under the Visa Code, the deadlines in Spain, and whether to appeal or reapply.

What happens if you exceed your Schengen stay: a return decision, an entry ban recorded in SIS, fines that vary by country, and the EES.

Which passport to show at each check with two nationalities: EU free movement, leaving the US and Mexico on your national passport, and the airline check.

Schengen visa refusal rates in 2025 by country of application and by Schengen State, with the European Commission's official figures and what they mean.