The European Commission has again postponed the start of travel permit fees for entry into Europe until at least 2025.
The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) is expected to come into force by mid-2025 at the earliest, according to the government’s official program website. The postponement was approved by the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council on Friday.
Alessandra Amodio/Travel + Leisure
“With a new roadmap towards the realization of a new IT architecture, ETIAS is expected to be ready for operation in spring 2025,” the Justice and Home Affairs Council said in a statement.
ETIAS fees were originally scheduled to start in 2021, but before this postponement, they were first delayed until November 2023 and then again until early 2024.
Travelers from visa-free countries, including the United States, will have to pay a fee of 7 euros ($7.44) to enter 30 European countries. The fee is valid for her three years or until the expiration date of someone’s travel document.
Travelers under 18 or over 70 must also apply for authorization but are exempt from paying.
In addition to ETIAS, dozens of European countries will introduce new entry-exit systems (EES) next year that will replace passport stamps with a high-tech scanning process. The EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Council said the system “will be ready for operation in autumn 2024”.
Europe is not the only country to introduce travel authorization fees. The UK has introduced a similar electronic travel authorization (ETA), which will eventually require all visa-free foreign visitors, including those arriving from the US, to apply online before entering the country. The UK is rolling out the program in stages as part of its efforts to fully digitalize its borders by 2025.
The United States also has its own authorization for international travelers, the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). The program costs $21 and is available to travelers from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program.
