Croatia
Croatian digital nomad residence permit
The Croatian digital nomad permit is for people who work remotely for a foreign company or for their own business abroad.
News · European Union
ETIAS start uncertain – no official start date yet
In April 2026 the Commission still planned to launch ETIAS, the EU travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, in the last quarter of 2026. In July several outlets reported that the launch may slip to 2027.
Summary
In brief
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According to the European Commission's information of 28 April 2026, ETIAS starts in the last quarter of 2026, with the exact date to be announced later.
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On 8 July 2026 Business Travel News Europe, citing the Financial Times, reported that the EU IT agency eu-LISA had acknowledged a launch by the end of the year was no longer feasible.
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eu-LISA's public position at the time was that the planned launch remained the fourth quarter of 2026.
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The authorisation fee is EUR 20. People under 18 and over 70 are exempt from the fee.
Background
What happened
ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a pre-travel authorisation for non-EU nationals who travel without a visa. According to the Commission's information of 28 April 2026, the system starts in the last quarter of 2026, with the exact start date to be communicated during the year. The authorisation is valid for three years or until the passport expires.
On 8 July 2026 Business Travel News Europe, citing a Financial Times report, wrote that eu-LISA had acknowledged a launch by the end of the year was no longer feasible. The agency's public statement at the time, however, was that the proposed entry into operation remained the fourth quarter of 2026. On 13 July Afar wrote that the official ETIAS website still named the last quarter of 2026 and that no official reason for the delay had been given. According to Travel Market Report on 11 August, eu-LISA's management board was to discuss a revised timeline in September.
Update (23 September 2026): according to the Commission's and eu-LISA's ETIAS pages, the system is currently not in operation, and the start date will be announced several months before launch. No new official start date has been published so far.
For you
What it means for you
- Who it affects: non-EU nationals who can travel without a visa for short stays to the 30 European countries concerned (the Schengen countries and Cyprus).
- Nothing to do yet: until ETIAS launches, no authorisation is needed. Once it launches, it will be requested through the official EU channel.
- Planning: if you travel in the coming months, follow the official announcements. According to the official information, the fee will be EUR 20.
Programmes
Related programmes
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- Hungary
Hungarian White Card
The White Card is the residence permit for remote workers based in Hungary: 1 year, renewable once by 1 year.
Sources
Sources
Last checked:
- European Commission: Main differences between EES and ETIAS – 28 April 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission: European travel authorisation (ETIAS) will cost EUR 20 – 17 July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- European Commission: ETIAS (opens in a new tab)
- Business Travel News Europe: EU likely to push back ETIAS introduction to 2027 – 8 July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Afar: Travelers Get a Reprieve as Europe Pushes Back Its ETIAS Entry Requirement Again – 13 July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Travel Market Report: Europe pushes back ETIAS launch – 11 August 2026 (opens in a new tab)