Etias travel permit delayed again – launch date removed from official website
A 2026 launch for the travel permit is looking increasingly unlikely
MikeTyes
Europe’s beleaguered Etias travel permit has been delayed yet again with a launch date being postponed indefinitely.
A statement declaring that the launch would take place in “the last quarter of 2026” has been quietly removed from the official Etias page and replaced by a notice stating that Etias “is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point”.
In a statement to The Independent, a European Commission spokesperson repeated verbatim the statement it provided one month previously, stating that preparations for the launch were “ongoing”.
It added: “Obviously, as with any large-scale IT system, many factors come into play when deciding when to launch it.
“Once all conditions are in place, the Commission will set a date for the start of the system.”
According to one report, “a revised timeline is expected after eu-LISA’s September 2026 board meeting; a 2027 launch is now the most likely outcome”.
The online system will eventually require travellers from visa-exempt countries including the UK, US, Australia and Canada to apply for pre-travel authorisation to 30 European countries, including France, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
The permit will reportedly cost €20 (£17), with applicants required to complete an online form, provide personal information and answer security questions.
Children under 18, adults over 70 and some family members of EU citizens are expected to be exempt from the charge.
The news follows calls for the European Union to pause the entry-exit system (EES) system following long queues at airports across Europe.
EES requires travellers to provide biometric data, fingerprints and facial scans when travelling to Schengen area countries.
The scheme has caused severe bottlenecks at European border checkpoints, leaving significant numbers of British holidaymakers and hauliers stranded in hours-long queues, with some missing flights or ferries.
Earlier this month, new polling found that nearly one-fifth of UK adults have considered swapping a summer holiday in Europe for a staycation in Britain as a result of border chaos.
