Canadian Travellers Will Soon Have A New Fee To Visit Europe
The changes are projected for 2025.
Two tourists look at the Eiffel Tower in France.
Europe's new entry system has experienced some turbulence before takeoff. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) originally scheduled for a 2023 roll-out has faced technical and logistical challenges leading to multiple delays. Now, Canadians planning a trip to countries in the European Union (EU) can anticipate a new travel fee as part of a visa waiver program set for takeoff in 2025.
"ETIAS will be ready to enter into operation in Spring 2025," according to the EU. The system, which mirrors the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), could reduce wait times, streamline procedures, and bolster security measures for visits to the EU. The system applies to non-EU travellers from over 60 countries, including Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, who currently do not require visas to enter the Schengen Area, a group of European countries with relaxed internal borders.
Privacy concerns and technical hitches
The ETIAS system is designed to process large volumes of data but has encountered multiple software glitches significant enough to slow the pace of the project. Data, after all, is at the heart of ETIAS and aims to use data collected from visitors to differentiate between genuine travellers and potential threats.
The EU also has a strong stance on data privacy, evidenced by its General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which safeguards citizens' personal information and grants them greater control over their own data. Any system, especially one as expansive as ETIAS, must adhere to the stringent regulations. Ensuring ETIAS's full compliance with GDPR has entailed hours of vetting, testing, and refining the system's data privacy measures, causing further delays.
On a security front, while ETIAS's primary objective is to enhance border security, the system itself requires substantial fortification. This entailed the development and integration of advanced security features, consuming significant time and resources.
Another unexpected factor was the 2024 Paris Olympics. An event of this magnitude demands massive preparation, both in terms of infrastructure and security. Naturally, resources and focus that might have otherwise been allocated to projects like ETIAS were diverted to ensure the Olympics' success.
Lastly, the EU's Entry/Exit System, a complementary system to ETIAS, designed to monitor non-EU travellers, faced delays. Given the interconnected nature of the two systems, any delay in one inadvertently impacted the other. Synchronizing them became an uphill task, introducing yet another layer of complexity to the ETIAS rollout
What travellers need to know for 2025
Until ETIAS becomes operational, travellers from visa-exempt nations can still enjoy visa-free access to Schengen countries. Though this postponement might be viewed as an inconvenience, it also ensures a more refined and robust system, potentially resulting in improved security for the EU in the long run.
The ETIAS authorization will require travellers to complete an online form, inquiring about aspects like criminal records and past travel to conflict zones. This electronic form is expected to take mere minutes to fill out, with a fee of 7 euros (approximately CA$10). It will be mandatory for visitors aged between 18 and 70.
For now, Canadians and citizens from other eligible countries can continue their European adventures without the ETIAS authorization.