OTTAWA — After years of delays, the European Union has once again pushed back a new travel requirement. The European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) — a new travel authorization for visa-exempt travellers to 30 European countries — no longer has an official launch date, according to the latest update. “The European Union has pushed back the previous late-2026 launch and will announce the new date several months before ETIAS becomes operational,” the update from ETIAS states. The measure was first set to take effect in 2021, but has been pushed back several times. When the ETIAS eventually takes effect, it will require Canadians travelling for fewer than 90 days within a 180-day period to complete a visa-like application connected to your passport, the European Union’s website states. Travellers will be able to apply for the ETIAS online and it will be valid for three years, or until the passport expires. It will cost approximately 20 euros (approximately C$32), triple the reported cost five years ago, though some travellers may be exempt from the fee.
