Planning a dream trip to Europe? Be aware that entering Schengen (the border-free zone within Europe) will be changing, but not as soon as previously thought. After multiple delays, both the new entry system (EES) and the EU's much-misunderstood visa-waiver program (ETIAS) are now expected to launch later this year. Some news sites are reporting October 2025 as a start date but an exact date has yet to be officially confirmed by the EU.
It’s all pretty technical but is not as complicated as it seems. Here’s what to know – and how it might impact your trip.
ETIAS – which stands for Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System – is the forthcoming visa-waiver system to enter the Schengen area in Europe, slated to come into force in 2025. Contrary to what many people think, this is not a visa – rather, it’s for people whose passport means they don’t need a visa to enter the EU.
Think of it as a pre-check – it’s for the authorities to run background checks and pre-authorize you to enter the bloc before you travel. In essence, it’s just like the ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which was introduced by the US in 2008. Also like ESTA, it’s not a guarantee that you can enter the bloc – you still have to comply with entry regulations on the day.
Travelers from the 60 countries that currently can enter Europe’s Schengen area without a visa must apply for ETIAS. This includes citizens from the US, Canada, Brazil, Australia and Japan. It also applies to European countries that are neither in the EU nor Schengen, such as the UK, Montenegro, Ukraine and Bosnia and Hercegovina.
Thirty European countries will require visitors to sign up for ETIAS – a full list is on the official website and it’s best to double-check your destination, since the differences between the EU and Schengen can get a little complicated.
Essentially, ETIAS applies to the Schengen zone, which is not quite the same as the EU. Schengen is made up of all but two EU member states (Cyprus and Ireland), plus four non-EU countries: Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. All of these will require ETIAS.
Incidentally, Cyprus will require ETIAS, but Ireland will not. So, visit Iceland (not in the EU) and you’ll need ETIAS; but you can go to Ireland without it, despite Ireland being in the EU. Just to be more complicated, neither Cyprus nor Ireland are introducing EES (biometric entry-exit system) border checks.
EU citizens and documented residents don’t need to apply for ETIAS. Neither do travelers from countries that require a visa to enter Schengen – they still need a visa. For more information see the EU’s official website.
The first step on the road to ETIAS is the introduction of the EES
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