Visas

2025 soonest.

I’ll just add this has popped up a lot in the news outlets lately. When/If you read a column or article about Etias (which isn’t actually a visa) be sure to note the date if it says one will be needed by “Xx” date.

Echoing Pam, there was also an article in the most recent AAA magazine on this topic as well. Here's the official ETIAS page for future monitoring, it says "mid-2025" as start date: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en

Visas will not be required in 2024 or 2025 or anytime in the near future.

What you will have to do is register online sometime in 2025--or later--to enter the EU. This is not a visa but a registration system that should hopefully make it easier to enter the area.

There are some people here who will argue that they believe it is a visa but it isn't. France and the US are visa waiver countries with each other.

This is the most recent information that I've seen on the subject.....

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/etias-launch-date-officially-postponed-for-spring-2025-eu-confirms/

This has been pushed back several times already, so that date could change yet again. However for 2024, the present system should still be in use.

It is expected that the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be operational from mid-2025.
( from the link provided by CL)

Note the wording is 'hopeful', not definitive.

The ETIAS is not a visa.

Indeed, not a visa.

My Italian husband just applied for yesterday (and paid) and received his American equivalent, the ESTA -- which by the way has been in effect for Europeans going to the U.S. since 2009.

The ETIAS -- whenever it finally does get implemented -- is simply Europe creating reciprocity for what the U.S. requires of European travelers (and has for nearly 15 years) coming to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program.

It is as noted tit for tat -- I am surprised given how America welcomes travelers from abroad that Americans have not been treated to much more onerous entry experiences before now.

I am surprised given how America welcomes travelers from abroad that Americans have not been treated to much more onerous entry experiences before now.

The ETIAS has been talked about for years. In America, it's just one government that makes the decision. For Europe, it's a lot a governments and all have to come together and agree. Not as easy as you think.

The ETIAS has been talked about for years.

If I remember correctly, this was to be implemented even before COVID and has been regularly pushed back for years. It might be start in 2025, it might be later.

If I remember correctly, this was to be implemented even before COVID and has been regularly pushed back for years.

First proposed in 2016, approved by the EU Parliament in 2018, implementation?

I disagree that it is an issue that countries cannot agree, they already have, 5 years ago. The delays, from what I have read, have been mainly technical, getting the system to work as planned, as well as work with the new Schengen entry/exit system that will integrate all countries immigration. This entry/exit system has also been delayed due to its own technical issues.

Some also point out that the EU requirements for Data Privacy create a high bar of compliance, good in principal, bad for designing a system that specifically collects a bunch of personal data as the core of the system. Concerns over dropping a new system just before the Paris Olympics also have been mentioned as has delays due to other priorities during the pandemic.

The articles I've seen say that having this system raring to go in time for the Olympics is not possible