UPDATE SEPTEMBER 25, 2023:
The launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) has been pushed back from mid-2024 to roughly May 2025. The postponement is due to another such delay in the launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES), another European Union border security measure.
Said one E.U. official to SchengenVisaInfo.com, “We had initially hoped for the EES to become operational by the end of this year or, at the latest, the beginning of the next year. Due to unforeseen delays, it has become evident that this timeline is unattainable. As a result, the implementation of the ETIAS has been rescheduled to May 2025, with the possibility of further postponement.”
As we head into the second half of 2023, now seems as good a time as any to remind you that travelers to Europe from 60 visa-exempt countries—including the United States—will need a travel authorization to enter most countries in 2024 and beyond.
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will allow travelers to enter any territory within the European Union/Schengen Area for short-term stays (usually 90 to 180 days, depending on the country). The ETIAS authorization will be linked to a traveler’s passport and will be valid for three years, or until the expiration of the passport, whichever comes first. When a traveler gets a new passport, they will also need to get a new ETIAS travel authorization.
The authorization will cost €7 and will generally take minutes to process, although 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, so be sure to begin the authorization process early. Those under the age of 18 or over 70 will have their fees waived.
While travelers will have to fill out some personal details—such as address, occupation, travel intent—they will not be required to provide any information related to their health or vaccination status, nor will they need to provide any biometric data, such as fingerprints.
Good to know: As your ETIAS travel authorization will be linked to your travel document, make sure to carry that same document or you could be denied boarding your flight, ship or bus.
European countries that will not require an ETIAS travel authorization include Ireland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican, Kosovo and Belarus. Russia and Türkiye will also not require the form.
That all said, ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications are collected at this point.
For the latest information, visit travel-europe.europa.eu.
