No. Canadians are exempt from needing a visa to travel to the Schengen area. However, in 2023, you can expect to add a step to your travel prep. From 2023 onward, the European Union will require travellers from visa-exempt countries to submit an application through the new European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS).
ETIAS is not a visa program, and travellers who apply through ETIAS are not eligible to work, study, or stay in France long-term. If you plan to attend school or seek employment in France, or if you intend to stay longer than 90 days, you’ll need to apply for the appropriate type of visa. In that case, you will not need to submit an ETIAS application
Yes. All Canadian citizens entering France in 2023 and beyond will need to submit an ETIAS application before they depart. Minors are not exempt from this requirement.
Right now, it’s difficult to say. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen that even the experts struggle to predict what’s next. Since COVID-19 regulations can change quickly and without notice, we recommend you check the French Public Health Agency’s website before you finalize your travel plans. If something is unclear, feel free to reach out to our Customer Support team for guidance.
ETIAS will be mandatory as soon as the portal goes live in 2023. To allow border officials and travellers time to adjust, there’ll be some leniency within the first 6 months. That said, we recommend you submit an ETIAS application before your first trip to the Schengen zone in 2023. ETIAS authorization is valid for 3 years (unless the passport it’s linked to expires), so there’s no reason to delay applying.
