If you’re traveling to Europe through next year, there’s one less thing for you to worry about.
The European Union’s European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) – which approves entry for short-term stays into the European Union (EU) for visa-exempt nationals – has been postponed to the end of 2026, according to the official website.
“No action is required from travelers at this point,” the website states. “The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.”
On March 5, the EU said it would launch the ETIAS six months after the gradual rollout of the Entry/Exit digital border management system (EES), which will collect biometric data of travelers beginning in late 2025. “Because the EES regulation requires all member states to start using the EES fully and simultaneously, a new regulation was necessary to make a progressive start possible,” the Council of the European Union said.
First proposed in 2016, the ETIAS was expected to go into effect in 2022 but was continually delayed. The most recent date for implementation was the first half of 2025.
Here’s what to know about the ETIAS.
Prescreening travelers to the Schengen Area, the ETIAS and EES “aim to strengthen European security and security of those who travel,” according to the official website.
Not to be confused with a visa, the ETIAS is an entry requirement for visitors from 59 countries, including the U.S., to travel to 30 EU countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. You can apply online and approval time takes as quickly as minutes to a few days.
“ETIAS is not a visa and does not reintroduce visa-like obligations,” European Commission spokesperson Anitta Hipper previously told USA TODAY. “There will be no need to go to a consulate to make an application, no biometric data will be collected and no additional documentation will be required beyond a valid travel document.”
It lasts for three years and is tied to your passport, so if you get a new passport, you also need a new ETIAS.
It’s free for applicants who are younger than 18 or older than 70. For everyone else, it costs €7 (about $7.62).
