No visa needed, but authorization will be: See when new rules for entering the EU will apply

(Patria) - The European Union has postponed the application of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) until May next year.

The possibility of further postponement of its application has been left open, although the EU had claimed that this system would be operational by mid-2024.

As announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Entry/Exit System (EES) for crossing into and out of the Schengen area has also been postponed several times.

"These two systems are connected, with EES being able to function independently, while ETIAS cannot be operational without EES. ETIAS should start applying six months after the start of EES application," the ministry stated.

They remind that from the first half of 2025, around 1.4 billion people from over 60 countries will be exempt from the visa requirement, but will need travel authorization to enter 30 European countries for short stays.

"ETIAS travel authorization will apply to the entry of citizens exempt from the visa requirement who travel to any of these 30 European countries. It will be valid for up to three years or until the travel document expires. If a new travel document is obtained, a new ETIAS travel authorization will have to be obtained. With a valid travel authorization, entry into the territory of these European countries will be possible as often as the short stay allows, usually up to 90 days in any 180-day period," the Ministry explained.

However, they emphasize, possessing this authorization will not guarantee entry, as border police at the EU's external borders will have the right to request to see the traveler's travel document, as well as other documents confirming that the entry conditions are met.

Let us remind you, the plan was for the new entry and exit system for the Schengen area countries to start operating from November 10th this year, which entails new rules for entering EU countries for citizens of the Western Balkans, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It was stated that the changes will affect about 60 countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, whose citizens will have a different way of crossing the border into EU countries. Travelers will be required to provide biometric data at the border, such as fingerprints and a facial photograph.

"The mentioned systems represent online forms that passport holders from non-EU countries will have to fill out and pay a fee before entering EU countries. The EES system relates to monitoring the duration and place of stay in the EU, to ensure that travelers do not stay longer than 90 days within a six-month period. Upon the first border crossing, biometric data will be collected, eliminating the need for passport stamps at the border crossing," the Agency for Identification Documents, Data Exchange and Customs of Bosnia and Herzegovina (IDDEA) announced earlier.

This, as they emphasized, reduces the risk of identity theft and allows holders of travel documents who frequently cross the border to avoid frequent passport replacements due to all pages being filled with stamps.

"The ETIAS system is also an online form where data about the travel document and place of stay are entered, along with an additional fee of 7 euros. This form will be valid for up to three years or until the travel document is replaced," IDEEA stated, as reported by Hayat.