Vacationers to Europe can celebrate as the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has been pushed back from mid-2024 to roughly May 2025. This means that tourists to the EU can continue to visit without an additional tax or pre-authorization. The postponement is due to another such delay in the launch of the Entry/Exit System, another European Union border security measure.
EU Entry And Exit System
EU ETIAS is coming
Once ETIAS in implemented for the European Union, it will allow visa-exempt nationals to enter a territory within the Schengen Area of the EU for short-term stays. Most visa free nationals can entry for up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The ETIAS authorization will work very similar to how authorization to travel to the US, Canada, or Australia currently works, but longer. The 7 euro authorization will be linked to a traveler’s passport and will be valid for three years, or until the expiration of the passport. When a traveler gets a new passport, changes their name, or after 3 years from applying, they will also need to get a new ETIAS travel authorization.
As mentioned above, the authorization tax will cost €7. Those under the age of 18 or over 70 will have their fees waived, but will still need to apply for EU travel authorization. The idea is that the authorization will generally take only a few minutes to process. Yet travelers are warned to not wait until the very last minute to apply for authorization. As the process could take up to four days. In some instances, should a traveler need to provide additional information, processing could take as long as one month! Plan early and don’t wait to appy once this process goes into affect. I know from my own experience with Austrailia, my authorization has been approved instantly. Yet, one might not be as lucky.
Bottom Line
For now the EU EITAS is further delayed until 2025. Once implemented the cost will be €7 and be valid for 3 years or until a traveler gets a new passport, whatever comes first. The implementation of ETIAS can only happen five to six months after the launch of Entry/Exit IT system. So until the entry EU Schengen Area adopts the entry and exit system the European Union ETIAS will continue to be delayed.
