The European Union has confirmed that the launch of the
new European Travel Information and Authorisation System for
non-EU visitors has been further delayed until Spring 2025.
Specialist website SchengenVisaInfo.com last month reported that ETIAS’s
implementation was set for a further
postponement into 2025 due to continued delays with the introduction
of the related Entry-Exit System (EES), which needs to be operational before
ETIAS can be implemented.
Now the European Council has endorsed a new timeline
for the EU’s roll-out of several major new digital IT projects including ETIAS
and EES.
This new schedule would see EES finally being ready to
go into operation in Fall 2024 with ETIAS set to follow in Spring 2025.
Previously ETIAS had been due to be launched in 2024,
although originally it had been scheduled to become operational in 2021.
Once introduced, ETIAS will see visitors from outside
the EU who currently have visa-waiver status, including travelers from the UK
and U.S., having to apply for an ETIAS authorization to visit 30 European countries.
ETIAS applicants will pay a €7 fee through an official
website or app, and once granted, each ETIAS will be valid for three years or
until the expiry date of the travel document. EES will replace the current
manual passport stamping regime in the EU with an electronic registration
system.