If you’ve planned a trip to Europe over the last few years, you’ve probably heard the term ETIAS thrown out.
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ETIAS is a visa-waiver application that Americans must apply for when visiting European Union and Schengen countries. It’s just like the UK’s ETA and the US’s ESTA, which are used to digitally track the movement of non-visa nationals in and out of the country. Instead of customs agents, these waiver systems fully digitize the process.
But ETIAS represents the entire European Union, plus its non-EU Schengen states, meaning it’s been a difficult, multi-year journey to roll out the technology. First, before digital travel authorizations could be launched, the EU had to digitize its borders. Again, the goal is to get rid of customs agents for a seamless, scan-and-go setup.
ETIAS has been delayed thanks partly to ongoing EES delays. EES digital border crossings were launched on April 10, 2026. However, the new program caused many delays at major airports across Europe, from Amsterdam to Paris to Rome. In fact, long queues created so many issues that multiple EU countries, including Spain, Germany, and France, were given until the end of 2026 to roll out their EES systems.
I was one of the travelers caught in the early EES crossfire when returning to Barcelona from Atlanta in late April. I’m a permanent resident of Spain with a US passport, meaning I didn’t fit clearly into the tourist line or the local EU line. I was shuffled into a two-hour queue to meet with a customs agent… which is exactly what the EES should be, theoretically, simplifying.
Here’s the catch for immigrants like me: around 14% of the European Union’s total population is now foreign-born, and we don’t usually fit into the two lines offered by the EES program. (Still, that’s good news for tourists—you’ll just scan your passport and biometrics in the visitor line, then keep it moving.)
That’s all to say that the EU’s ETIAS, and even its EES, is still experiencing major delays. Here’s what you need to know heading into the busy holiday season in Europe in relation to its new border crossing systems.
ETIAS won’t launch until 2027—you don’t need a waiver to visit the EU until then
The EU’s ETIAS page was last updated this summer. The updates removed previous notes on the target launch date in late 2026. Currently, there is no ETIAS launch date provided by the EU, nor is the application portal open. It’s expected to launch in April 2027, according to industry experts—but I think any rollout in 2027 would be considered a victory, even if it’s much later.
The bottom line: Don’t worry about applying for an ETIAS for your Euro trip this winter or spring.
When ETIAS launches, you need a waiver for Schengen countries, too
Let me try to simplify a weirdly complicated geopolitical setup. The European Union is a coalition of countries that work together legally and economically. The EU also works closely with Schengen countries, which secure their borders in alignment with the EU, but otherwise aren’t part of the coalition.
The bottom line: When ETIAS is live, you need to apply for a visa waiver to visit non-EU countries that are part of Schengen. These countries are: Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. But you won’t need to go through customs a second time when visiting these nations, as they share open borders with the EU.
Ireland is the only exception—you won’t need an ETIAS to visit
Ireland is a notable exception. Ireland and Northern Ireland (part of the UK) have an open border. That complicates things because travelers normally go through customs when traveling between the UK and the EU.
The bottom line: Ireland has its own set of immigration controls. It has opted out of both the Schengen Area and ETIAS. You will never need an ETIAS to visit Ireland, unless it launches its own electronic authorization form.
EES is still causing delays—these airports are the worst
EES lines are still causing delays at major European airport hubs. If you’re arriving into the EU or leaving the EU from these countries, give yourself time to make it through the line. In some cases, EES lines have caused waits as long as 180 minutes, although a good two-hour wait is more common.
These airports have the longest delays: Barcelona (BCN), Paris (CDG), Frankfurt (FRA), Amsterdam (AMS), Prague (PRG), Lisbon (LIS), Milan (BGY), and Tenerife South (TFS).
Look out for these airlines, too, which tend to serve more non-Schengen passengers and drive up line waits: Ryanair and Wizz Air.