The European Union has once again postponed the rollout of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS),
EU sources have confirmed. Initially set for mid-2024, ETIAS is now
slated to become operational in May 2025, with the possibility of
further delays.
The delay is attributed to the Entry/Exit System (EES), another EU
border security system designed to register travellers from third
countries at EU external borders. According to an EU official, both
systems are interconnected, and the ETIAS cannot be implemented without
the EES.
Anitta Hipper, EU Commission's Spokesperson for Home Affairs,
clarified that the ETIAS can only launch five to six months after the
EES goes live. The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also confirmed
the ETIAS launch in 2025, while the Swiss State Secretariat for
Migration suggests a potential later date.
The EU Commission's Directorate-General for Migration and Home
Affairs has yet to provide an exact ETIAS implementation date.
Meanwhile, the EES is expected to be implemented in 2024, with a
specific date to be announced later this year.
ETIAS is intended for travellers from visa-exempt countries visiting
30 European nations, including Schengen States. Countries like Malaysia,
Singapore, the US, and Australia are included, while travellers from
countries requiring a visa to enter Europe, such as India and Thailand,
will not need ETIAS. Registering for ETIAS involves filling up an online
form, following which, travellers aged between 18 to 70 years old have
to pay €7 as a processing fee.