Croatia prepares for ETIAS, Bosnia‑Herzegovina travelers to pay €20 fee

Croatian interior minister Davor Božinović said the country has encountered no major problems with the Entry/Exit System (EES) at its borders, crediting thorough preparation and police deployment. He noted that the EU has recorded about 110 million travellers using the system, with more than 5 000 entry bans issued in Croatia – roughly 11 % of EU bans.

Nine EU states have asked the European Commission to extend the possibility of temporarily suspending biometric checks after 6 September when extreme congestion occurs. Božinović confirmed that Croatia is ready to implement ETIAS, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, which will require visa‑free visitors – including citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina – to complete an online form and pay a €20 fee before travel. The authorisation will be valid for three years. While the rollout was initially planned for this autumn, it is expected to begin early next year.

Local residents of border villages in Serbia’s Vojvodina region have protested, claiming that ETIAS‑related day‑counting already restricts their daily cross‑border movements, underscoring the immediate impact of the new regime on border communities.