Navigating after the application: Approval, refusal and appeal scenarios

After submitting an ETIAS application, travellers will receive a decision that will determine their ability to travel. Understanding the implications of approval, the reasons for potential refusal and the appeal procedures is important for all applicants. This section details the post-application outcomes and provides travellers with the knowledge to manage their authorisation or challenge a negative decision.

4.1 Approved ETIAS: Rules of validity and use

An approved ETIAS authorisation is communicated to the applicant by email. This confirmation email will contain a unique ETIAS application number, which should be kept for future reference. The authorisation itself is not a physical document; it is electronically linked to the specific passport used in the application. Although there is no requirement to carry a printed copy, travellers are advised to keep a digital or paper copy for their own records and convenience.

• Validity: A standard ETIAS travel authorisation is valid for three years. However, if the traveller's passport expires before the end of the three-year period, the ETIAS automatically becomes invalid. The validity is therefore three years or until the expiry date of the passport, whichever comes first. If a traveller obtains a new passport for any reason, they must apply for a new ETIAS authorisation.
• Stay limitation (90/180 day rule): A valid ETIAS allows multiple entries to the 30 ETIAS-requiring countries. However, this is strictly for short stays. The rule allows a traveller to stay for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. This 180-day period is not fixed; it is a rolling window calculated backwards from the current day. Exceeding this limit is a serious immigration offence which can result in fines, future travel bans and refusal of further ETIAS applications.
• Important caveat: ETIAS does not guarantee entry: This is a fundamental legal principle that all travellers must clearly understand. An approved ETIAS authorisation is a mandatory prerequisite for travel; it allows the passenger to board their flight, bus or ship and travel to the external border of the ETIAS zone. However, the final decision on admission is made by the border guard at the point of entry. Upon arrival, the border guard will scan the traveller's passport and check the ETIAS status. They retain the sovereign right to refuse entry if the traveller does not meet all other entry conditions. To avoid problems, travellers should be prepared to present supporting documents, just as they would have done before ETIAS existed. This includes proof of sufficient financial means for their stay, proof of accommodation (hotel bookings) and a return or onward ticket.

4.2 Application refused: Common reasons for refusal

Although most applications are expected to be approved, refusals may occur if the applicant does not meet the established criteria. The system is designed to identify individuals who may pose a risk. Common reasons for refusal of an ETIAS application include:

• Invalid travel document: The applicant has used a passport that has been reported as lost, stolen, misappropriated or otherwise invalidated in the Schengen Information System (SIS) or other international databases.
• Identified risk: The applicant is considered a security risk, an illegal immigration risk or a high epidemic risk on the basis of the information provided and the results of database checks.
• Existing SIS alert: An active alert on the applicant exists in the SIS, for example an alert for the purpose of refusing entry and stay.
• Inaccurate or fraudulent information: The applicant has provided data, statements or supporting documents that have proved to be false, misleading or unreliable.
• Failure to comply with a request: The applicant has failed to respond to a request for additional information or documentation within the specified time limit or has failed to attend a required interview.

4.3 Right of appeal: Challenging a negative decision

The ETIAS Regulation ensures that all applicants have the right to appeal a negative decision. If an application is rejected, or if a previously approved ETIAS is subsequently annulled or revoked, the applicant will be formally notified.

• Notification of the decision: The applicant will receive an e-mail clearly stating the decision and giving the specific grounds for the refusal, annulment or revocation. This ensures transparency in the decision-making process.
• The appeal process: The notification email is a critical document as it will also contain information about the applicant's right to appeal. This is a decentralised process, which is an important detail for applicants to understand. There is no single, centralised EU body for appeals. Instead, appeals are handled in accordance with the national law of the specific European country whose ETIAS National Unit was responsible for taking the final negative decision. This means that the applicant may need to follow the administrative or legal procedures of Germany, Spain or another Member State, depending on which one handled their file.
• Correction of errors and re-application: If the refusal was the result of a simple, correctable error — such as an incomplete form, a typing error in the passport number or the use of an expired passport — the applicant does not have to go through the formal appeal process. He or she can correct the error and submit a new application. A previous refusal does not automatically prejudice a new, corrected application.