The European Union seem to be in a right mess when it comes to the new travel visas for Britons wishing to travel to EU member states with the introduction date of the new ETIAS system being delayed yet again, which is good news for British travellers next year, when it was due to have finally been rolled out.
The Council of the European Union this week confirmed that the proposed start date of next year won’t happen due to technical issues with the equipment. Now it has been officially postponed until 2025 - and is likely to go live in May that year.
Website SchengenVisaInfo.com reported that an EU official said: “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.”
The system had been put back in February from next month to an unspecified date in 2024.
Delays in the development of the European Union’s new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) were blamed at the time.
Britons travelling to European countries in the Schengen zone will be required to apply online for an Etias at a cost of €7 and it will be valid for three years.
One has to wonder of the system will ever get off the ground at all at this rate.
An ETIAS permit will cost around €7 and all travellers planning to visit one or more of the 30 countries where the pass is applicable will have to pay to get one, with a couple of exceptions. Applicants over the age of 70 will receive an ETIAS free of charge, as will minors (aged 18 or under).
The EU has said: “Recent security concerns with terrorism and the migrant crisis have called for better management of who is entering EU borders.
The EU has continuously declared its goal of making travelling within its borders a more secure experience.
To reduce procedures and wait times and address security concerns, the European Commission (EC) has come up with a solution – ETIAS.