The why behind every place

Visas and documentsEurope

ETIAS explained: who needs it, the cost and the start date

ETIAS will cost €20 and last up to three years, but it still has no start date. Who needs it, how to apply and what to do in the meantime.

By

6 min read

Yellow passport control sign in German and English, with the European Union flag, at an airport
Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash

If your passport lets you visit Europe without a visa, today you simply show up: a valid passport at the border, plus proof of where you’re staying, enough money and a ticket home if the officer asks. ETIAS, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, will add one step before the trip. It’s an online travel authorisation that visa-exempt travellers will need before visiting 30 European countries.

The short answer: as of September 2026, ETIAS is not running and nobody needs it to travel. The European Union says it will announce the start date several months in advance. Once it launches, the application will cost €20 and the authorisation will last up to three years.

What it is, and what it isn’t

ETIAS is not a visa. It’s a pre-travel check: you fill in an online form, your details are run against European security databases and the answer arrives by email. The stay rule doesn’t change. You can spend up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

An approved ETIAS doesn’t guarantee entry either. The border officer still makes the final call and can ask for the same proof as always.

Where you’ll need it

Thirty countries: every EU member except Ireland, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. That covers France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Germany, and also Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. Once you have the authorisation you can travel to any of them, even if your plans change after you apply.

The UK is not part of it. Britain runs its own electronic travel authorisation, the UK ETA, with separate rules and a separate fee.

Cost, timing and validity

  • Fee: €20 on the official website. Applicants under 18 or over 70 don’t pay, but they still need to apply. The fee isn’t refunded if the application is refused.
  • Processing: most answers come back within minutes, and the official site says within 96 hours at the latest. If the authorities ask for extra documents or an interview, it can take up to 30 more days.
  • Validity: three years or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever comes first. A passport that expires in two years gets you a two-year ETIAS.
  • Where to apply: the EU’s official ETIAS website or the official ETIAS app.

Why there’s still no date

ETIAS depends on another system, the EES (Entry/Exit System), which started on 12 October 2025 and was meant to be in use at every border by April 2026. The EES records the fingerprints and face of travellers entering and leaving, replacing the passport stamp. Visa-exempt visitors already go through it.

In March 2025, EU ministers set ETIAS to start in the last quarter of 2026. In July 2026, the Financial Times reported that eu-LISA, the EU agency building the system, had acknowledged a 2026 launch was no longer feasible, pointing to 2027 instead. The official website currently gives no date at all.

Even after launch, the requirement will phase in. For the first six months, ETIAS won’t be mandatory. A six-month grace period follows: travellers without an authorisation can still be let in, as long as it’s their first trip to Europe since the initial phase ended. Only then does the rule apply to everyone. In practice, the requirement starts at least six months after the system goes live.

If you hold dual nationality

Plenty of travellers hold two passports. According to the official ETIAS website, the rule is simple for anyone who is also a citizen of one of the countries that will require ETIAS, or of Ireland: they're exempt, whatever their other nationality. But they must travel on their European passport.

The EU's own example is a woman with Argentine and Spanish nationality travelling from Buenos Aires to Italy: as a Spanish national, she doesn't need ETIAS and must use her Spanish passport. If the European passport has expired, the answer is to renew it with the country that issued it, not to apply for ETIAS on the other passport.

Dual nationals of two visa-exempt countries, neither of them European, do need ETIAS and can choose which passport to apply with. The catch is that the authorisation is linked to the passport used in the application. Travelling on the other one can lead to being refused boarding or entry.

Watch out for sites that charge more

Search for “ETIAS” and you’ll find plenty of commercial sites offering to apply for you. The EU itself warns that these intermediaries file through the official website and may add their own fees. Anything above €20 is an intermediary’s markup. The official address ends in europa.eu: travel-europe.europa.eu/etias.

What to do now

  • Travelling in 2026: there’s nothing to do. ETIAS isn’t required.
  • Travelling from 2027: check the official website before you book. If the system is live, apply before buying flights and hotels, as the EU recommends.
  • Check your passport: it must have been issued within the last ten years and stay valid for at least three months after the date you plan to leave. That rule already applies today.
  • Travelling with children? Each child needs their own authorisation, with no fee.
  • Use only the official website or app, and be wary of ads at the top of search results.

FAQ

Do I need ETIAS now?

Not yet. As of September 2026, ETIAS isn't operating, and the official website says the start date will be announced several months in advance.

How much will ETIAS cost?

€20 on the official website. Applicants under 18 and over 70 don't pay, but still need to apply.

How long is ETIAS valid?

Three years, or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever comes first.

Do EU dual nationals need ETIAS?

No. Citizens of the European countries requiring ETIAS, and of Ireland, are exempt, as long as they travel on their European passport.

Does ETIAS cover the UK?

No. The UK has its own authorisation, the UK ETA, which many visitors already need.

Until a start date is set, nothing changes for visa-exempt visitors. This article will be updated when the EU announces the launch.

Sources

Keep reading