ETIAS launch delayed until November 2023

The ETIAS was originally expected to be fully operational in May 2023, but a memo published on the European Commission’s website read that the launching has been pushed back to a later date. (Pexels Photo)

The launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which will screen travelers from visa-exempt countries before entering the Schengen Area, has been postponed by the European Union until November 2023.

The ETIAS was originally expected to be fully operational in May 2023, but a memo published on the European Commission’s website read that the launching has been pushed back to a later date.

According to the European Commission, registration to ETIAS will become mandatory for travelers entering countries in the Schengen Area which will cost €7 for applicants aged between 18 and 70. Border authorities will be required to confirm the travelers’ registration to the new authorization system first, along with other travel documents, before being allowed to cross the border. However, according to EtiasVisa.com, ETIAS is not a visa but an essential travel document.

Once the travel authorization becomes fully operational by the end of 2023, visitors are encouraged to “adapt to the new system” and register online. Tourists and business travelers from non-European areas that are eligible to travel within the borders will also need ETIAS to visit visa-free.

There will also be an implementation period of six months once ETIAS is up online to give time for travelers to adjust to the new authorization system. This means that registration will be optional for visitors who are traveling to Europe within the first six months after implementation.

As stated by EtiasVisa.com, for first-time visitors to be allowed to travel Europe visa-free, they “would need to meet all other entry conditions” before crossing the borders during the first six months grace period.

The travel authorization system was first proposed in 2016 as a means to enhance the security around the European Union’s borders for locals and visitors. It will be an automated IT system that will have an advanced verification process to screen the passengers within minutes.