Electronic Traveler Systems: An Overview

This article provides an overview of recent developments with respect to electronic traveler systems in several countries. Many countries do not have electronic traveler systems similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization in the United States.

Belgium

Belgium does not have an electronic traveler system similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization in the United States. Belgium has implemented European legislation, including EU Directive 2016/681 of April 27, 2016, on the use of passenger name record (PNR) data for the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of terrorist offenses and serious crime. An Act, dated December 25, 2016, was published in the Belgian Official Journal of January 25, 2017 (PNR Act).

The PNR Act provides that passenger carriers of all transport sectors (air and sea, trains, road transport), as well as travel operators/companies, must communicate passenger data to the Passenger Information Unit (PIU). The PIU, which will be part of the federal Ministry of Interior Affairs, will store the data in a passenger database and analyze it for security purposes. The PNR Act provides privacy guarantees, such as rules for the organization of the PIU, and a limited list of purposes for which passenger data can be processed and analyzed.

The PNR Act has not yet taken effect. A Royal Decree will determine the effective date for each transport sector and for travel operators/companies.

Canada

In an effort to enhance border security, in 2011 the Canadian federal government launched the “Canada-United States Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness Action Plan,” which mentioned the potential implementation of an electronic screening process for all visa exempt foreign nationals. Effective November 10, 2016, all visa-exempt foreign nationals wishing to travel to Canada by air must obtain an electronic travel document called an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before boarding their flights to Canada. This new measure is designed to allow Canadian authorities to pre-screen all visa-exempt foreign nationals and identify any cause that would make a foreign national inadmissible to Canada. This important initiative is expected to reduce costs for Canadian authorities and delays for travelers by having inadmissibility assessments conducted before a foreign national’s arrival in Canada rather than at a Canadian port of entry.

This new obligation to obtain an eTA before air travel applies to all foreign nationals who do not require a Temporary Resident Visa / Visitor Visa to enter Canada. Canadian citizens, Canadian Permanent Residents, and U.S. citizens are exempt from this requirement and can continue to enter Canada using their valid Canadian passports, Canadian Permanent Residency cards, or US passports. In addition to this newly introduced travel measure, Canadian dual citizens must be vigilant when traveling to Canada because they now must travel with their Canadian passports and can no longer enter Canada with the passport of their other country of citizenship. An exception is made for dual Canadian/US citizens, who can continue use their US passports to enter Canada.

An eTA can be obtained online and is usually approved within minutes of applying. The eTA is an electronic document and there is no paper evidence of it. Air carriers are given access to the Canadian Border Services Agency’s database to verify whether foreign nationals have obtained the required eTA before boarding their flights to Canada. Foreign nationals should carefully review the accuracy of their information when submitting an application and should be sure to spell their name as it appears on the bottom of the passport (machine-readable portion) rather than using the spelling shown elsewhere on the passport, if the spelling differs.

Italy

Italy does not have an electronic traveler system similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization in the United States.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom does not have an electronic traveler system similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization in the United States. Passport holders from Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are eligible to apply for electronic visa waivers (EVWs) permitting them to visit the UK for up to six months for tourism, business, study, or medical treatment.

EVWs may be used only once, and each person traveling to the UK must obtain his or her own EVW (i.e, each member of a family traveling together must apply for and obtain an EVW).

EVW applications may be made online at www.electronic-visa-waiver.service.gov.uk (instructions are provided in both English and Arabic) and must be submitted between 3 months and 48 hours before travel to the UK. Individuals should have the following ready before applying:

• A current, valid passport;
• The address in the UK where the applicant will be staying ;
• Travel details (flight number, departure/arrival dates and times) ; and
• An uploadable image of the applicant’s passport photo page.

Third parties may apply on behalf of individuals seeking an EVW, but they must also provide their contact details.

Successful applicants will receive an email with a link to download their EVW within 24 hours of submitting the application online. The EVW must be shown before boarding the aircraft, boat, or train, as well as at the UK port-of-entry immigration controls.

If the departure location (airport, port, or train station), or arrival time in the UK (if greater than 8 hours) changes, EVW holders must amend their travel details online. Individuals will need to provide the EVW number and date of birth to make changes.