The European Union (E.U.) has just officially announced another postponement to the planned launch of its new pre-arrival authorization system, which it had previously planned to launch in 2024.
The new ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) program is now slated to start in 2025. Once it’s in effect, foreign travelers will be required to apply to obtain pre-approval before entering the 30-nation E.U. bloc. The policy change will also affect those from 58 countries that currently enjoy visa-exempt status, including the U.S., Canada and the U.K.
ETIAS is not a system for visas, but introduces an electronic pre-approval process, similar to the ESTA system (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) put into place by the U.S. in 2009, which is used to determine visitors’ eligibility to enter the country under the Visa Waiver Program.
Once submitted, applications will often take mere minutes, sometimes up to four days, to process before an approval or denial is issued. Hence, the E.U.'s official ETIAS website advises prospective visitors to apply for authorization well in advance of their trips.
An application processing fee of €7 ($7.80) will also be charged when using the system, which travelers will be able to access via the ETIAS website or a mobile app, according to The National News.
Travelers hiking above Lake Lugano in the Alps. (photo via AscentXmedia/E+)
The agency of the E.U. that’s responsible for the rollout of this digital system, eu-LISA (short for the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice) said Thursday that it needs more time to implement the infrastructural changes needed to run the system.
The introduction of a separate, albeit related, border security program has also been delayed. The European Commission’s Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated IT system for registering and tracking non-residential travelers coming from “third countries” (i.e., countries that aren’t E.U. members).
The EES will record ever time third-country visitors cross an E.U. external border, logging their name, travel document type, biometric data, and place of entry and exit, as well as refusal of entry. It’s intended to replace the current system of manually stamping passports, which is inefficient and does not reliably compile data of border crossings or systematically detect those who have overstayed the terms of their visa or visa-free authorization.
The EES and ETIAS systems are linked, and the ETIAS will rely upon the ESS to function properly. In fact, the ETIAS will only be able to enter operation five or six months after the EES launches. Therefore, the EES program is still scheduled for rollout in 2024, most likely in the second half of the year.
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