A Guide On The Europe Visa And Travel Requirements For Australians

The classical continent of Europe is probably on most travelers’ bucket list. Home to beautiful countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Spain, it’s no surprise that millions of travelers worldwide flock to Europe yearly. Most of its countries are packed with breathtaking art, culture, entertainment, and architecture, so rest assured that Europe is definitely a destination worth visiting! ✨

But let’s face it — flying to Europe is not easy, especially for tourists. So for this guide, we’ll be talking about whether you need a Europe visa or not, and also some travel requirements you’ll have to prepare for Australian citizens. 🤓

Good news! Australians can travel to Europe visa-free for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Just make sure that you’re going to Europe for the following reasons:

1. Research

2. Business

3. Short-term study

4. Visiting friends and family

5. Medical reasons

6. Tourism

7. Holidays

8. Official visit

9. Transit

10. Cultural events

11. Sports events

If you find it confusing or difficult to count your 90 days, the European Commission has prepared this handy calculator to help you plan your trip.

Your passport must be valid for at least three months after your departure date.

This digital border system is meant to register non-EU citizens whenever they enter or exit a European country in the Schengen Area. These automated kiosks can be found in airports and ports as you go from one destination to another. Make sure to scan your passport and have your fingerprints and photo taken.

The good thing about this is if you revisit the Schengen Area three years later, you’ll only need to either have your photo taken or your fingerprints scanned since you’ll already have an existing record by then.

While the ETIAS is only anticipated to start in the first half of 2025, the electronic security system has already been announced worldwide for visa-exempt travelers, like Australians, to have an idea of what it is as early as now.

The ETIAS costs around 12 AUD. If you complete your ETIAS form, you can enter any of these 30 countries for short-term stays. But still, be prepared to show your passport and other important documents like your ID upon entry to any European country. Your ETIAS authorization is valid for three years or until the expiry of your attached travel documents, whichever date comes first.

The form will require you to submit personal documents related to your education, occupation, and travel details, just to name a few. Please check your documents thoroughly and ensure that each one will not expire in three months and is not older than 10 years. 

Click here to see the 30 countries that require visa-exempt travelers to have an ETIAS authorization. If the European country that you’re planning to visit is not on the list, it simply means that it does not require an ETIAS travel authorization.

Apart from travel requirements, we’ve also got you covered with some travel inspo to help you plan for your Europe trip:

Stay connected while you’re in Europe with an eSim! It’s better than traditional SIM cards as you won’t have to swap out your existing SIM card (if you have any) with a new one just for your trip. With an eSim, all you have to do is scan the QR Code that will be sent to your email upon purchase, and you’re good to go!

The validity of your eSim can go from seven days to 30 days, depending on the duration of your trip. Your eSim daily countdown will begin once you activate it via the QR Code. That said, it’s best to activate your eSim once you get to your first destination in Europe.

The Eurail Pass allows you to board many trains across over 30 European countries, proving that it is a traveler’s best friend. You can take as many trips via train as you want without having to buy multiple individual tickets which can get expensive. You also don’t have to worry about keeping various tickets safe and sound since the Eurail Pass is just a single pass that’s easy to safeguard.

Remember that the validity of your Eurail Pass will depend on you, just note that it can go from four days up to three months.

Before you go, make sure to secure all your Europe travel essentials first. Safe trip! 🛫