In a 2 November travel advisory, EU officials reminded third-country nationals—including those heading to Prague for business or tourism—that they will soon need an online European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) approval before boarding a flight, bus, or train into the Schengen Area. Although ETIAS is “not a visa,” applicants must complete a digital form, pay a €7 fee, and receive electronic clearance that is valid for up to three years.
Most requests will be processed within minutes, but cases flagged for additional security screening could take up to 30 days. Czech border guards will receive automatic confirmation via the EES system when an ETIAS-required traveller presents their passport. Airlines that transport passengers without valid authorisation risk hefty carrier fines, so carriers serving Prague Airport are already integrating ETIAS checks into their departure-control systems.
![ETIAS Countdown: Czech-Bound Visitors Face €7 Pre-Travel Authorization from Mid-2025]()
For corporations, ETIAS will add a small but mandatory step to short-term travel planning. Mobility teams should incorporate the €7 fee into cost projections and remind travelling staff that the authorisation does not permit employment or stays longer than 90 days in any 180-day period. Long-term assignees will still need national visas or residence permits issued by Czech consulates.
ETIAS has faced multiple delays since first proposed in 2016, but officials now say the platform will go live “by mid-2025”—well before Prague hosts the World Robotics Expo in October. Travel-industry groups are urging applicants to use only the official EU website or app to avoid third-party scams that have already emerged online.
Czech tour operators welcome the move, arguing that advance screening should reduce refusals at the border and improve throughput at Prague’s increasingly busy Terminal 1. However, they warn of an initial learning curve and the need for multilingual customer-service resources when the system launches.
Most requests will be processed within minutes, but cases flagged for additional security screening could take up to 30 days. Czech border guards will receive automatic confirmation via the EES system when an ETIAS-required traveller presents their passport. Airlines that transport passengers without valid authorisation risk hefty carrier fines, so carriers serving Prague Airport are already integrating ETIAS checks into their departure-control systems.
For corporations, ETIAS will add a small but mandatory step to short-term travel planning. Mobility teams should incorporate the €7 fee into cost projections and remind travelling staff that the authorisation does not permit employment or stays longer than 90 days in any 180-day period. Long-term assignees will still need national visas or residence permits issued by Czech consulates.
ETIAS has faced multiple delays since first proposed in 2016, but officials now say the platform will go live “by mid-2025”—well before Prague hosts the World Robotics Expo in October. Travel-industry groups are urging applicants to use only the official EU website or app to avoid third-party scams that have already emerged online.
Czech tour operators welcome the move, arguing that advance screening should reduce refusals at the border and improve throughput at Prague’s increasingly busy Terminal 1. However, they warn of an initial learning curve and the need for multilingual customer-service resources when the system launches.
