British travellers will not need an online permit to visit the European Union and wider Schengen Area until April 2027 at the earliest.
Documents issued in Brussels point to a staggered roll-out for the much-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES). The Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) is unable to be put into effect until six months after the EES is working at all Schengen Area frontiers, predicted to be by April 2026.
However, following the six-month period after the successful EES implementation, the ETIAS permit will be on a voluntary basis for another six months. This means that it is unlikely that the permit will be mandatory until several months into 2027.
Commenting on this news, Julia Lo Bue-Said, Chief Executive Officer of The Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) was originally scheduled to launch in 2022, followed by the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in 2023, however, both systems have faced continual delays, including the latest postponement announcement.
“This ongoing uncertainty is creating confusion for travellers about what these systems will mean for them and how they might affect upcoming EU travel plans. It is crucial that authorities now commit to the latest timeline rather than continuing with recurrent delays, or alternatively, reconsider whether the ambition is beyond implementation.
“There is currently limited public awareness of these changes which is why there needs to be clear guidance in place from the government and the travel industry ahead of their introduction in order to minimise any disruption and ensure a smooth transition period to the new system.
“However, the news today that there will be a requirement for a period of time, for passport stamping as well as biometrics taken will just add another level of delay and mean further extended queues at border controls until the full rollout.
“With different rules and visa-requirements for destinations across the world, travel can at times seem more complicated than ever, yet we are continuing to see an incredibly strong demand for travel this year from UK consumers who are prioritising trips over other expenditure.
“Advantage is working together with all our travel agent partners to ensure they are aware of the new processes and are able to help their customers ahead of their implementation.”
