.png)
.png)
Foreign travellers who currently enjoy visa-free entry to the European Union will not be required to obtain an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) until at least April 2027.
According to the EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, the ETIAS is expected to be introduced in the last quarter of 2026. However, since a transitional and grace period will follow, obtaining ETIAS before traveling to the EU will not become mandatory until 2027.
ETIAS Rollout Depends on EES Implementation
The implementation of ETIAS is directly linked to the introduction of the Entry/Exit System (EES). After multiple delays, the EU has set a timeline for the gradual rollout of the EES, which is expected to begin in October 2025.
As per the latest framework, member states will have a six-month window to progressively introduce the EES at their borders. If the system begins its rollout in October 2025, member states will be required to register ten per cent of travellers crossing the border within the first month.
In the first 60 days, the system may be operated without biometric functionalities. However, by January 2026, all member states will need to ensure that the EES functions with biometric data collection. The full rollout of the EES is expected to be completed by April 2026.
ETIAS Will Follow Six Months After EES Is Fully Deployed
Once the EES is fully implemented, the ETIAS system will come into effect. According to EU authorities, ETIAS is scheduled to be introduced six months after the completion of the EES, meaning it is expected to begin operation around October 2026.
"Rules of travel to most European countries have changed. Starting six months after EES, some 1.4 billion people from 59 visa-exempt countries and territories are required to have a travel authorisation to enter 30 European countries for a short stay."— EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs
While ETIAS is expected to begin in October 2026, it will remain optional for the first six months as part of a transitional period.
From October 2026 to April 2027, visa-exempt travellers will be encouraged to apply for ETIAS, but they will still be permitted entry into the Schengen Area even without travel authorisation, provided they meet all other entry criteria.
Once the six-month transitional period ends in April 2027, ETIAS will become compulsory for all travellers. However, there will be a six-month grace period for individuals entering the EU for the first time since the end of the transitional period. This means that until October 2027, these travellers can still enter without ETIAS.
ETIAS Becomes Fully Mandatory in October 2027
Based on the outlined schedule, ETIAS will become mandatory for most visa-exempt travellers in April 2027 and will be fully compulsory for all by October 2027.
By fLEXI tEAM
Comments