The European Union has once again postponed the rollout of its new digital border systems, the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Under a revised timeline endorsed by EU Home Affairs Ministers on 5 March, EES is now expected to be operational in October 2025, while ETIAS has been pushed back to late 2026—years later than originally planned.
The EES, which aims to replace passport stamping with biometric registration for non-EU nationals entering the Schengen Area, has faced multiple delays. Initially scheduled to launch in 2022, it was postponed to 2023, then 2024, and is now set for October 2025 at the earliest.
The European Commission has approved a phased implementation approach, allowing border authorities and transport operators up to six months to adjust to the new system.
Once operational, EES will apply to travellers from countries outside the EU and Schengen Area, including the UK, who visit the EU for short stays. Instead of passport stamps, visitors’ fingerprints and facial images will be recorded each time they enter or leave the Schengen Area, with automated systems tracking the duration of their stay. The EU claims this will prevent illegal overstays and identity fraud, but transport and tourism groups have expressed concerns about the potential for delays at busy border crossings.
ETIAS, the EU’s new travel authorisation system for visa-exempt visitors, will now not be introduced until late 2026. Once implemented, non-EU nationals who do not require a visa—including British travellers to Europe—will need to apply for pre-authorisation online before entering the Schengen Area. The process will include a €7 fee and require travellers to provide personal and security-related information.
UK ETA still on track for 2025
In contrast, the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme will go ahead as planned, launching on 2 April 2025. Under this system, visitors from the EU, as well as other non-visa nationals, will need to apply for authorisation before travelling to the UK.
The application costs £10 and is valid for multiple visits over two years. Unlike ETIAS, which has been repeatedly postponed, ETA will take effect months before any reciprocal EU system is in place.
The delays mean that British travellers will not need an ETIAS authorisation to visit the EU until at least late 2026, while European travellers will require a UK ETA much sooner, from April 2025.
The European Commission has not ruled out further adjustments to the timeline, stating that the progressive start of the EES depends on technical readiness across 29 participating countries.
A final decision on the exact launch date for EES will be made once all member states confirm they are prepared.