A brand new European Union program that might require Canadians to register earlier than travelling to Europe has been delayed once more.
This system, which was scheduled to come back into impact on Jan. 1, 2024, has been delayed till someday in 2025, in response to a information launch issued final week.
The setback was brought on by an IT supply subject. It marks the fourth delay for the system because it was first introduced in 2018. This system initially was supposed to come back into impact in 2021.
The brand new system, often known as the European Journey Info and Authorisation System (ETIAS), would require that visa-exempt travellers — together with Canadians — apply on-line for visa waivers earlier than their arrival in one of many 27 Schengen-area international locations or Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus.
Eire is not going to take part in this system and can proceed to have its personal visa coverage as a result of it’s a part of the Widespread Journey Space with the UK.
The waiver will price seven Euros and can final for 3 years. Canadians can be required to fill out a type on-line with their private info and make the fee earlier than they journey. Whereas most waivers can be processed in minutes, some might take as much as 30 days.
Canadians who maintain an EU passport or a residency card in an EU nation can be exempt from this system.
The adjustments will have an effect on a whole lot of hundreds Canadians who journey to the EU yearly.
Canada has an identical program — the Digital Journey Authorization — which prices customers $5 and lasts for 5 years for visa-exempt travellers to Canada. The US additionally has visa waiver applications for a lot of international locations however Canadians usually are not required to have a waiver to journey to america.
