The launch of the European Union’s new border control systems have been delayed again, according to announcement by the Directorate General of Migration and Home Affairs.
Affecting non-EU nationals, the bloc’s Entry Exit System (EES) is expected to be in place by October 2025. However, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which applies to non-EU visa-free nationals, will not become fully operational until a year, in late 2026.
EES to be launched before the end of 2025
A digital system for registering non-EU nationals when the come in and out of the EU Schengen bloc, the EES is intended to “simplify border controls and prevent identity fraud.”
No prior action is needed as it will collect travellers’ biometric information such as facial image and fingerprints, as well as biographic travel document data, recording the date and place where the traveller entered and exited the territory of European countries.
Revised timeline for launching the EES & ETIAS has been endorsed by EU Home Affairs Ministers:
— EU Home Affairs (@EUHomeAffairs) March 6, 2025
• EES is expected to become operational in October 2025
• ETIAS is expected to follow in the last quarter of 2026
🔎 @EUCouncil has also agreed on a progressive start of the EES ↓
ETIAS coming in 2026
To be rolled out later in 2026 with a grace period before it becomes mandatory in 2027, ETIAS is also a new pre-entry requirement for non-EU travellers from the UK, US and nearly 60 other non-EU countries. ETIAS is not a visa, and its introduction does not modify the visa-free status of travellers.
It will only apply to those who don’t require a visa to enter the Schengen Area and Cyprus. Unlike EES which is an almost automated registration that occurs on exit and entry, ETIAS entails visa-free travellers applying for a travel authorisation before starting their trip.
📢 Situation at the EU external borders Jan-Feb 2025
— Frontex (@Frontex) March 14, 2025
📊 Irregular border crossings fall 25% y/y
⚠️ Western African route accounts for nearly a third of all arrivals
📈 Central Mediterranean with the highest increase
📉 Western Balkans see the biggest drop… pic.twitter.com/Q4tQnm9ZOA
How to apply?
Obtaining ETIAS-approved status involves completing online application, which the EU authorities say should be done “well in advance of starting their trip.” It means providing personal details, answering security questions and paying a €7 fee. No biometric data is collected for ETIAS. The authorisation, once given, will be linked to the traveller’s passport and will be valid for three years or until the passport expires. Children under 18 and adults over 70 years old still need to apply for authorisation but the process is cost-free for them.
The new announcement means, unless there are further delays to come, EES should be in place before the end of 2025 with the 29 European countries involved gradually introducing it over a period of six months. The grace period is designed to “give border authorities and the transport industry more time to adjust to the new procedures,” the Directorate General said.
