The implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has encountered another delay, extending its launch to 2025 rather than the originally anticipated start date in the upcoming year. Remarkably, this marks the third time that ETIAS has faced postponement, prompting concerns among European Union officials who have hinted at the possibility of further delays in the future.
According to the official government website, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will now launch no earlier than mid-2025 at the earliest. The EU Justice and Home Affairs Council approved the postponement on Friday.
“The new roadmap for the delivery of the new IT architecture foresees… that ETIAS will be ready to enter into operation in Spring 2025,” the Justice and Home Affairs Council said in a statement.
Prior to this recent delay, the ETIAS fee was originally scheduled to go into effect in 2021. However, it was first delayed until November 2023 and then again until early 2024.
Travelers from countries where visas are not required, such as the U.S., must pay the €7 ($7.44) fee in order to enter 30 different European countries. The cost for three years remains until the traveler’s document expires.
Europe is not the only region to introduce a fee for travel permits. The United Kingdom has also begun implementing an Electronic Travel Authorization Program (ETA) that will eventually require all visa-exempt foreign travelers, to apply before visiting. The United Kingdom is phasing in this program as part of its broader initiative to achieve full digitization of its border processes by 2025.
ESTA stands for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization. for the U.S. It is an automated system that determines the eligibility of travelers to visit the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).
Canada has the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) program, which allows visa-exempt foreign nationals traveling to Canada by air to apply for an eTA online.
Australia offers the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) and eVisitor visas for eligible travelers, allowing them to visit for tourism, business, or family visits.
New Zealand offers an Electronic Travel Authority (NZeTA) for travelers from visa waiver countries who want to visit for up to three months.
India has the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA). The ETA allows eligible foreign travelers to apply for permission to visit India for tourism, business, medical treatment, or short-term educational purposes.
Egypt has its own travel authorization system called the “Egypt e-Visa” or “Egyptian Electronic Visa.” This system allows travelers from eligible countries to apply for a visa online before arriving in Egypt