The Commission’s ETIAS page now says only that the system is not in operation, that no applications are being collected, and that the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. | Photo: Majorca Daily Bulletin reporter
Humphrey CarterPalma19/10/2026 15:25
The EU’s travel authorisation for visa-free visitors has lost its launch date again, and this time nothing has replaced it. Until the middle of this year, the European Commission said ETIAS would start operating in the last quarter of 2026. That line is gone.
The Commission’s ETIAS page now says only that the system is not in operation, that no applications are being collected, and that the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. As of 19 October 2026, no date has been announced, SchengenVisaInfo, has reported today.
The delay of ETIAS comes amid ongoing friction with its sister system, the Entry/Exit System (EES), which became fully operational earlier in April 2026. While ETIAS is a pre-travel permit, EES is the physical, digital border check that records fingerprints and facial scans at EU entry points.
Aviation organisations like Airlines for Europe (A4E) report that unmitigated technical issues with the EES are still causing extreme border delays of up to five hours at major European airports. For British, American, Canadian, Australian and other visa-free travellers, the practical answer has not changed: there is nothing to apply for and nothing to pay. Any website asking for an ETIAS payment today is not official.
While the system was expected to roll out in late 2026, recent EU discussions and travel updates indicate that the official implementation could now be pushed back to spring or the final quarter of 2027.
The European Union maintains that it will formally announce the exact start date several months in advance of the launch. At this time, no applications are being collected, and travellers do not need to take any action or obtain a waiver for trips in 2026.
ETIAS is distinct from the Entry/Exit System (EES), the automated biometric passport registry which is a separate system handles physical border entry. The European Commission will roll out a U.S. style electronic travel authorisation system for visitors from countries that are currently not part of the EU.
These visitors have been granted visa-free access to the EU and Schengen member countries through virtue of their good track record on security issues and, thus, have not been deemed as a threat to EU security. However, the EU is wanting to strengthen its border security as well as digitally screen and track travellers entering and leaving EU countries.
The system will check the security credentials and charge a fee to travellers visiting EU member countries for business, tourism, medical or transit purposes. Travellers who currently visit Europe visa-free are able to enter EU and Schengen Member countries cost-free and without any digital security screening prior to their arrival to Europe.
ETIAS is not a visa, and is more accurately referred to as a visa-waiver. The ETIAS, like the ESTA, is a travel authorisation for travellers not requiring a visa to visit Europe. Under the ETIAS, these visitors will undergo additional security checks prior to being permitted to enter the EU.