Europe Travel Registration Delayed to 2025
Europe is a popular destination for U.S. travelers, who don’t need a tourist visa to visit most countries.
But the rules are about to change. Initially meant to come into effect on January 1, 2021, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) won’t enter into operation until the end of 2022, and it won’t be mandatory for at least six months after that.
At that point, all U.S. citizens who want to travel to the 26 members of Europe’s Schengen Zone will need to register with the ETIAS or risk being turned away at the border.
Here’s everything you need to know about the new process:
Why is the process changing?
With ongoing terrorism threats, the European Union decided to implement this new travel authorization program to protect and strengthen its borders. By requiring visitors to register, the EU will be able to identify any possible threats or risks associated with travelers coming into these countries before they arrive.
Why is the ETIAS delayed?
Initially meant to come into effect on January 1, 2021, the ETIAS won’t enter into operation until the end of 2022, due to delays in the anticipated adoption of the ETIAS Regulation as well as the fact that ETIAS is being developed closely with the Entry/Exit System (EES), according to a European Commission spokesperson. The EES is the electronic system that keeps track of visitors as they cross borders, and it is a precondition for ETIAS to enter into operation.
On top of that, a six-month transition period is also being built into the system, which means that travelers will not be required to register with the ETIAS until midway through 2023. During this transition period, EU member states participating in the ETIAS program will inform travelers of the need to have a valid travel authorization before entering the country again.
An additional grace period will follow the transition period, during which travelers who have already entered the country once will be required to hold a travel authorization. Those who are crossing the border for the first time since the end of the transitional period will be allowed to enter without authorization, but border officials will inform them of the new requirements.
Does this mean I need a visa to travel to Europe? europe visa
This isn’t a visa. The European Commission and U.S. State Department officials confirmed to the Washington Post that ETIAS is a travel authorization for visa-free visitors, similar to the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).
According to a fact sheet the European Commission released in July 2018, “The ETIAS authorization is not a visa. Nationals of visa liberalization countries will continue to travel to the EU without a visa but will simply be required to obtain a travel authorization via ETIAS prior to their travel.
“An ETIAS travel authorization does not reintroduce visa-like obligations,” it continues. “There is no need to go to a consulate to make an application; no biometric data is collected, and significantly less information is gathered than during a visa application procedure.”
- READ MORE: European tourism is losing $1 billion a year from the Indian market because of visa complexity
Which European nations will require ETIAS authorization to visit?
The new travel authorization applies to those entering any member country of Europe’s Schengen Zone. Currently, that includes 22 countries that are also members of the EU, four non-EU countries, and three European micro-states. That means that you’ll need to register to enter Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The micro-states of San Marino, Vatican City, and Monaco will also require registration.
While Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Cyprus aren’t currently Schengen countries, they are in the process of joining and will be subject to the same requirements once they do.
