UK citizens travelling to the EU next summer will have to pay a €7 visa-waiver charge after the EU revealed its timeline for the introduction of new border checks and entry requirements for some visitors.
Ylva Johansson, the EU home affairs commissioner, confirmed that the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias), which will require UK citizens (and those from other visa-exempt countries such as the US, Australia and Canada) to apply for a waiver before entering the bloc, was now likely to come into force by May 2025.
The Etias will mirror the US Esta, and require non-EU citizens to apply for the €7 travel authorisation before entering the Schengen area, which includes 27 EU member states, as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It will last for three years or until your passport expires.
The timeline comes as the EU confirmed that its long-delayed entry and exit system (EES) for travellers coming into Schengen countries would launch on 10 November.
The EES system will require travellers to provide biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial scans, at the border.
It is part of an EU drive to make it harder for criminals or terrorists to enter the bloc using fake passports. The introduction will also see new checks in the UK for those travelling to the EU through the Port of Dover, on LeShuttle in Folkestone and on the Eurostar through London’s St Pancras.
The system, which was supposed to be introduced in 2022, has missed several target dates due to a lack of preparedness.
The most recent launch date of 6 October was pushed back last month over concerns about the readiness of the facilities at some airports.
Speaking to staff involved in the rollout of the system this week, Johansson said: “After intense dialogues with member states, with you, with the different stakeholders, I have decided that the EES will enter into operations on 10 November.”
Johansson’s comments, which were reported in The Times, also confirmed that this would be followed six months later by the introduction of the Etias.
This means adults might have to start applying for their visa-waiver by May next year, which could affect holidaymakers travelling during the May half term.
Travellers under 18 or over 70 will be exempt from the charge, while those travelling to Ireland or Cyprus will not need an Etias as they are outside the Schengen area.
The visa waiver will require UK citizens to apply for an online permit and submit personal information such as address, employment details and any criminal convictions, as well as contact information when in the country of destination. Most applicants will be approved in minutes but some decisions may take between 48 and 72 hours.
The EU has said it will run a six-month “transitional period” after the Etias is introduced, which means those travelling will be expected to apply for the waiver, but will not automatically be refused entry at the border if they do not have it but fulfil other entry conditions.
