The New (ETIAS) Visa Waiver for trips to Europe delayed until 2024

 

A planned new visa waiver programme for UK travellers heading to Europe has been delayed until next year. The ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) was due to launch in November, but has now been postponed until an unconfirmed date in 2024. The delay is good news for British travellers, who now have an extra year to enjoy trips to Europe without needing to complete the ETIAS application or pay the reported €7 fee. Watch this page to stay updated with any further developments.

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From 2024, UK travellers heading to Europe’s Schengen area will need to apply for a new visa waiver and pay a charge of €7 (about £6). The scheme was originally due to launch in November 2023, but has been delayed. The Schengen area was set up to guarantee free movement for most EU countries and includes popular destinations such as Spain, Italy and Greece. Some non-EU countries are part of the Schengen area, so the new rules will also apply to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Lichtenstein. The new EITAS program isn’t running yet, but once it goes live, if you’ll be travelling to the Schengen area you’ll need to apply for the visa waiver online before you go. The €7 fee is only payable by travellers aged 18-70, but everyone will still need the visa waiver. Once approved, visa waivers will be valid for three years, or until the expiry date of your passport, whichever is sooner. You can find out more information in the FAQ section of the EITAS website.

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​This is the list of all the Schengen Area countries that will require a valid ETIAS authorization upon arrival at their borders: https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/etias/countries/