EU pushes rollout of ETIAS biometric travel system to 2025

The rollout of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is now expected to roll out in May 2025, BTN Europe reports, citing Schengen Visa Info. However,  the latest delay has not been confirmed by the European Commission.

The delay of ETIAS, officials say, is linked to delays in the full operationalization of the EU Entry-Exit system, which seeks to ensure EU member countries make greater use of biometric technologies in the management of their borders. Technical problems have also been blamed for the situation.

An unnamed EU official is quoted as saying that they had hoped to get ETIAS working by the end of this year, or the beginning of 2024 at the latest. In 2022, its launch was  postponed by six months to November 2023.

But the turn of events around the project means that the initial “timeline is unattainable,” the official said, evoking the possibility of a further postponement of the ETIAS launch date even beyond 2025.

ETIAS seeks to introduce rule changes to the way citizens from more than 60 visa-exempt countries can enter the European Union. They will have to apply for the authorization without submitting any biometrics, but biometrics will be required when the traveller enters the Schengen area.

UK unveils app plan for EU Settlement Scheme

In a related travel story, applicants for the EU Settlement Scheme using the EU Exit: ID Document Check app in the UK have been told that the identity stage of the application process can be completed using the mobile app.

According to UK government authorities, the app will help determine the authenticity of the applicant’s ID, Schengen Visa Info reports.

The EU Settlement Scheme is a program that allows EU nationals and their families to continue to live in the UK, after the country quit the EU.

The applicants are expected to use their biometric passport from an EU country, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Norway, or Switzerland; or their biometric UK residence card, and ensure that the ID document submitted can be read by the app.

They can also take a photo of their passport with their phone camera, ensuring that the full page of the document is captured within the camera frame.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  border security  |  digital identity  |  ETIAS  |  EU  |  travel documents  |  UK