For those of you eager to register for the EU Entry-Exit System and European Travel Information and Authorisation System, their implementation has been delayed.
Again.
The Schengen/Rest of the World Border at Helsinki Vantaa Airport
The EES is expected to become operational in October 2025. ETIAS is expected to follow in the last quarter of 2026.
The delay was announced when EU Home Affairs Ministers endorsed a revised timeline for the deployment and implementation of EES and ETIAS. Whilst the two are linked, they are distinct schemes.
Entry/Exit System
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new digital border management system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of 29 European countries using the system. These include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
For EES, a ‘non-EU national’ means a traveller not holding the nationality of any European Union country or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. A ‘Short stay’ means up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This period is calculated as a single period for all the European countries using the EES.
The EES will modernise border management of the Schengen countries, gradually simplify border controls and prevent identity fraud. It will also remove the need for passport stamping in a lot of cases (except Cyprus and Ireland).
In turn, the system will be able to identify overstayers and provide reliable data on entries, exits, and refusals of entry, whilst combatting identity fraud by collecting biometric data.
As noted above, it is planned to go live in October 2025, subject to changes. The EU is planning to gradually introduce the EES over a period of six months. This would give border authorities and the transport industry more time to adjust to the new procedures.
European Travel Information and Authorisation System
Meanwhile, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) travel authorisation is an entry requirement for non-EU visa-free nationals (akin to the US ESTA, the UK ETA and so on).
When live, it will be an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries. It is linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
You will need one once the system is up and running for entry to the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Countries that have access to Europe Visa-Free, but will require ETIAS include Albania, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, El Salvador, Georgia, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Kiribati, Kosovo, Macao, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Palau, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela
With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays – normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
ETIAS is expected to follow in the last quarter of 2026.
Keep an eye on this
If the implementation of the ESS and ETIAS has been… less than fast, that’s been an understatement (I’ve given up when I started covering ETIAS and the changes).
For anything related to this, keep an eye on the official EU Pages at
- Overall Programme https://travel-europe.europa.eu/index_en
- EES – https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en
- ETIAS – https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
But for now, travel in and out of Europe and the Schengen Zone requires no change in the protocol (be it requiring a Visa or being able to turn up at an EU Border and be stamped in).
Just remember to ensure you get stamped out when departing.
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