ETIAS Application Guide - Who Needs It, What It Costs and When It Starts

ETIAS is an online travel authorisation - a visa waiver, not a visa - that visa-exempt travellers will need for short stays in Europe. It works like the US ESTA or the UK ETA.

ETIAS is linked electronically to your passport, so there is no document to print or carry. It does not guarantee entry: border guards still verify all conditions on arrival.

You will need ETIAS if you are a national of a visa-exempt country and you plan a short stay in one of the 30 European countries that require it.

This includes citizens of countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Brazil - and many others who currently travel to Europe without a visa.

ETIAS is required to enter 30 European countries - the 29 members of the Schengen Area plus Cyprus. A single ETIAS authorisation covers all of them.

The 30 countries are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

To apply for ETIAS you need a valid passport that is no more than 10 years old and that will still be valid for at least three months after your planned departure from Europe.

You will also need a valid email address and a payment card for the EUR 20 fee, unless you are exempt.

The ETIAS application fee is EUR 20 per person, paid online when you apply.

• Applicants under 18 years of age
• Applicants over 70 years of age
• Family members of EU nationals who meet the conditions for family-member status

An ETIAS travel authorisation is valid for three years, or until your passport expires - whichever comes first - and allows multiple entries.

During the validity period, ETIAS permits short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the participating countries.

1. Complete the online form
2. Pay the fee
3. Wait for approval

In most cases, a decision is issued within 4 days.

ETIAS is a pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers. It is not a Schengen visa, not the EES border system, and not the same as the US ESTA or UK ETA.

ETIAS is expected to start operating in the last quarter of 2026. The EU will publish the exact date in advance.

After launch, there will be a transition period and then a grace period before full enforcement.

1. Can I apply for ETIAS now?

No. ETIAS applications are not open yet.

2. Is ETIAS a visa?

No. ETIAS is a travel authorisation and not a visa.

3. How much does ETIAS cost?

EUR 20 per person, with age and family-member exemptions.

4. How long is ETIAS valid?

Up to three years, or until passport expiry.

• EU Commission ETIAS portal: travel-europe.europa.eu/etias
• EUR-Lex Regulation summary: eur-lex.europa.eu
• EEAS travel page: eeas.europa.eu

Last updated: 30 June 2026.