British travellers won't have to pay for a visa to visit Europe until 2027 at the earliest.

That's because the EU's European entry/exit system (EES) has seemingly been pushed back yet again, causing another delay to the euro-visa (known officially as the Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS), which can only take effect six months after EES is put in place.

Once put in place, the ETIAS will require British passport holders to apply and pay for a three-year visa waiver to travel into the Schengen Area (remember that from Brexit?). The zone covers almost all of the EU (apart from Ireland and Cyprus) plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.

The EES was meant to fully launch on 10 November 2024 but was delayed when it became clear the tech wasn’t ready.

Now, ever-reliable travel expert Simon Calder has uncovered further developments in the saga.

He's revealed Brussels is proposing to roll out the EES gradually to give border authorities and the transport industry "more time to adjust to the new procedures".

It's hoped EES will be up and running by April 2026, with ETIAS following on a six-month voluntary basis from October 2026.

It all means Britons can expect to start paying for the euro-visa (priced at around £6) from April 2027 onwards.