Help! Can't figure out if we need a visa or not

[Canito6671]

We're scheduled to start our camino in SJPdP in early September, flying into CDG from the US, and end in mid-October, flying back to the US from Spain. My husband is a permanent resident of the US but his citizenship is currently with Mexico. I've read a hundred different websites to figure out if he needs a visa for this trip or not. We flew into CDG in August 2021 and he didn't need a visa at that time because of some exemption for Mexican citizens that was supposed to expire "soon." The ETIAS information we've found through online searches is vague, with wording like: "...from the end of 2022, Mexican citizens will be required to apply for the online ETIAS visa waiver for travel to France." with no specific date given, and just a few sentences later in the same place, "Mexican passport holders staying up to 90 days in any Schengen member state will be required to pre-register travel to France through the ETIAS online application form as of 2022." again with no specific starting date defined. And other ETIAS sites said that Mexican citizens would be required to apply for the waiver in "late" 2022. (1) Can anyone point me to the official authority on the visa — I'm not even certain that the sites coming up in the Google are official in any sense. Or (2) does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the visa requirements?

 

[trecile]

First of all, forget about ETIAS, as that program is not active yet.

I put the information into the Travel Sherpa site (many airlines are currently using this site) and it says no visa required for Mexican passport holders.

Visa and Travel Requirements for every destination

apply.joinsherpa.com

There is also a link to the source of that information, which is this French government site.

Do you need a visa ? | France-Visas.gouv.fr

Try our visa wizard and check in a few clicks if you need a visa to come to France

france-visas.gouv.fr

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Clicking on the first long link in the text on the following official EU page gives a list of countries where a visa is required. Mexico is not on the list.

Who must apply for a Schengen visa

Citizens of certain countries must hold a short stay visa. The EU has a common list of countries whose citizens must have a visa when crossing the external borders and those whose nationals are exempt from that requirement.

ec.europa.eu

ETIAS is not yet in effect.

 

[trecile]

Here is the official information about the ETIAS program. (again, it's not in effect yet)

European Travel Information Authorisation System

ETIAS will be an automated IT system created to identify security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks posed by visa-exempt visitors travelling to the Schengen States, while at the same time facilitating border crossing for the vast majority of travelers who do not pose such risks.

ec.europa.eu

You can tell if a website is an official EU site because it is in Europa.eu domain - check the url.

 

[Canito6671]

@trecile and @Rick of Rick and Peg, you are both AWESOME! Thank you for coming through for us again!

 

[Kathor1]

Here is the official information about the ETIAS program. (again, it's not in effect yet)
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/p...an-travel-information-authorisation-system_en
You can tell if a website is an official EU site because it is in Europa.eu domain - check the url.
View attachment 120279

What @trecile writes cannot be emphasised enough. A warning from Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency) on www.frontex.europa.eu:

Unofficial ETIAS websites on the rise, beware of possible abuse​

​

The official ETIAS website europa.eu/etias, launched last year, also provides travellers with information about the new requirements, the application process, appeals, and other relevant topics. Travellers will be able to submit their ETIAS applications exclusively through this official website once the system becomes operational.​

​

“We have become aware that the number of unofficial ETIAS websites in multiple languages has recently increased to over 50. While some of these websites are run by genuine businesses, others may not be as trustworthy,” said Francois Laruelle, Director of the ETIAS Central Unit Division at Frontex.​

​

The ETIAS Regulation does allow commercial intermediaries to apply for the travel authorisation on behalf of others. However, as the application process will require travellers to submit details of their passport details, credit card number and other personal data, it is important to ensure that such sensitive information is not misused. ​

Source:

Unofficial ETIAS websites on the rise, beware of possible abuse

Published on 14 April 2023

 

[Flatlander]

The best way to determine eligibility or conditions of entry is to contact the the Embassy of the country that you wish to travel to, preferably by email so that there is evidence should it be necessary. Yes, it may be slow but it should be accurate.

I don't wish to denigrate the helpful contributions of other posters but (if the last few years have taught us anything it is that) things can change between now and the date of travel.

For the best backpack or shoes a forum such as this can offer lots of help. For crossing borders it's better to go to the officials.

@Canito6671 my experience with Mexican immigration and border officials before, during and after Covid was nothing but positive, patient and welcoming. If all the world adopted such an approach international travel would be a lot more fun and a lot less stressful.

 

[Kathor1]

Ok, maybe I should have picked another thread for posting the warning about ETIAS websites but I wanted to avoid yet another major discussion about if and when ETIAS starts and so I picked a thread that mentions ETIAS but hasn't ETIAS in the thread title ...