I have a trip to italy planned at the end of May. Flights are booked and paid for. There is no info on the ETIAS website- it just states that sometime in mid 2025, likely May, this will be a mandatory requirement to travel to the EU.
How might this be done???? Any insider info?
It is due to start 6 months after EES, which has not started yet.
Nobody knows. One day a date will be set an announced. Until then all you can do is wait.
For the most part, simply do not be concerned about it. Really, for all the hype, the reality will barely be a blip in your travels.
For now, the roadblock is EES, which is an interconnected electronic entry system to be used and shared by all Schengen member countries. It is basically the e-gates you may be familiar with, but a database that will record your entries and exits. There have been some trial runs, you may have used the gates at exit, maybe even entry, but with a person handing out stamps after you go through.
After that system is up and working, then they will open up ETIAS. However, obtaining your EITAS approval will be much of a non-event, just go online, answer some questions, pay your small fee, and from a few minutes to a couple days, you get a notice of approval. So even if they announced it will be effective in a month, you will have plenty of time. Just look at the info on the UK ETA, the ETIAS will be almost identical in function.
Can you be rejected? Unlikely, but if you have had a felony that required lengthy incarceration in the last 10 years, then you are probably out of luck, but then if they were aware of your history now, they would deny you entry.
Now as for when, like I said, first, really do not worry about it, but the task of getting 29 individual countries, some EU, some not, to independently fund and implement a data system at all of their entry points (land, air, and sea) and then get those points to work together, is not a small task. Projects like this are more akin to herding cats than an effort led by a strong central authority (there really is none in this case). The betting man would probably say the possibility of implementing ETIAS this year has already passed. You may see more "e-Gates" at airports, they will continue to work on the system, but it really does not seem to be going well.
still a crystal ball job at the moment
Thank you, tanda1198, for asking this question. And thanks to everyone who responded. A special thanks to Carrie for posting the links. We will be in Italy in May, too, and we've been wondering about the same thing.
I was just about to post a question about this subject as well. We leave for Madrid on May 14th and then a Viking cruise from Barcelona to Bergen on May 19th which also includes England in addition to 6 other countries. So I have already linked to both of the websites from My Viking Journey page where they said we will need to apply for this. I had the same experience as the original poster of course. For those of us leaving in May, looks like we will want to check every few weeks and maybe something will be in place by the beginning of May. Thanks for posting.
Has anyone applied for the UK ETA or is that not possible yet either? I was just on the website and it said the easiest way to apply is to use the app and it had a QR code to get the app on phone. So I have done that, waiting to apply to see if I can find out more. Thanks.
dpalmier53, this thread on the forum should help:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/uk-eta-application-experience
Thanks Carrie. And I think I answered my own question by revisiting the website. The US is not on the list of countries that can apply as of March 2025 at this time. So I will just check in March to see if there are any updates different from that.
dpalmier53, you can apply now for the ETA. Scroll down to “Who can apply now” and then “If you are travelling on or after 8 January 2025.” The United States is on that list.
And if you check here, you will get info. from those that have already applied:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/england/uk-eta-application-experience
For those interested in the minutia of EES/ETIAS implementation, there's a poster over on FlyerTalk who does somewhat deep dives into this ongoing process. Here's a link to his latest post...
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/36768673-post459.html
...and the most current page of the thread it belongs to...
ETIAS starts 6 months after EES goes into use.
ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications are collected at this point. It is due to start 6 months after EES.
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
At this point EES Entry/Exit system is currently not in operation. It is due to start in 2025.
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en
This article---
https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/10/11/politically-courageous-eu-postpones-entryexit-system-once-again-but-whats-behind-it
---makes a start in 2025, until later in the year, seem remote. Then add an additional 6 months for the start of ETIAS, and it seems unlikely ETIAS will be operational before 2026.
From this Topic not long ago--
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/general-europe/etias-when-will-there-be-a-hard-opening
The UK ETA starts next week on the 8th. If you want to enter the UK on that day or after you will need an ETA.
Don't confuse the UK ETA with the EU's EEA or ETIAS.
Dpalmier53- the U.S. isn't on the list of countries that can apply for the UK ETA as of March 2025, because U.S. citizens could apply as of November 2024 and the UK ETA is REQUIRED for U.S. citizens as of next week - January 8.
If you are going to the UK anytime after next Wednesday, you definitely need an ETA !!
Sign up for UK ETA had an interesting requirement. It said you need a new ETA if you get a new passport. I'm in process of renewing my Passport right now, as the current one, will expire in April. So I'm going to wait till the new passport is issued. Glad i caught this, other wise I'm assuming I would have had to buy another ETA to match the renewed passport?
