ETIAS does not yet have a launch date: what tourist agencies should prepare
The new European travel authorization system will change the way millions of guests from visa-free countries travel to Croatia and other European destinations. However, travel agencies should not communicate a firm date of implementation for now.
The European Union has not yet opened ETIAS For applications. The current official portal states that the system is not operational and that the exact date of launch will be announced several months in advance. An earlier European plan predicted a start in the last quarter of 2026, but eu-LISA, after the Administrative Board meeting on September 23 and 24, is only talking about further planning for the implementation and the following phases.
ETIAS will affect important broadcasting markets
ETIAS will be required for citizens of countries that have a visa-free regime for short stays in 30 European countries, including Croatia, Slovenia and Austria. This includes major markets such as the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, but also Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia. For some countries in the Western Balkans, the right to ETIAS is linked to a biometric passport.
The approval will be linked to a passport and will be valid for up to three years or until the passport expires. The fee is 20 euros, while people under 18 and over 70 are exempt from payment. Most applications should be processed in a few minutes, but some procedures can take significantly longer.
Agencies can become part of the application process
For travel agencies, ETIAS is not just another piece of information that needs to be sent to the traveler. The agency will be able to submit the application on behalf of the client as a commercial intermediary, with a corresponding declaration of representation. This opens up the space for a new service, but also brings with it responsibility for processing personal data, passport data, and payments.
On the other hand, verifying the validity of ETIAS before transportation is primarily the obligation of the carrier. A travel agency must use the carrier verification system only if it operates as a registered carrier itself.
What agencies should do now
For inbound agencies and DMC’s in Croatia, Slovenia and other European destinations, timely communication will be most important. Information about ETIAS should be included in booking confirmations, pre-departure documentation and instructions to guests from affected markets.
It is equally important to clearly distinguish ETIAS from visas and not to offer registration to clients before the EU officially launches the system. It is precisely trust in the agency and accurate information that could become the most valuable part of this new administrative obligation.
