The short version
- ETIAS is an online travel authorisation for people who can visit 30 European countries without a visa. It is not a visa.
- It has not started. On 12 October 2026, the official site says no applications are being taken, and the EU will give the start date several months ahead.
- When it starts, it will cost EUR 20, with no fee for under-18s and over-70s. It will last up to 3 years, or until your passport expires.
- It covers short stays only: up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
What is ETIAS?
ETIAS is the European Travel Information and Authorisation System: an online permission that visa-free travellers will need before they visit 30 European countries. It is linked to your passport, and you will get it online before you travel.
It is not a visa. The official FAQ says an ETIAS is not the same as a visa or a residence permit. It lets you enter for a short stay. It does not give you the right to work, or to study long term.
The rules are in an EU law, Regulation (EU) 2018/1240. The official ETIAS website is run by the EU. Once ETIAS starts, you will apply there or on the official app.
When does ETIAS start?
There is no start date yet. When we checked on 12 October 2026, the official site said ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected. It says the EU will announce the date several months before launch.
So there is nothing to apply for today, and you do not need an ETIAS to travel now. If you see a start date somewhere else, check it against the official site.
Other websites already offer to "apply for ETIAS" for you. The official FAQ says these sites file through the official ETIAS website on your behalf and may charge their own fees on top of the EUR 20. When ETIAS starts, you will be able to apply yourself, for EUR 20.
Is ETIAS the same as EES?
No. They are two different systems. The Entry/Exit System (EES) records each time you cross the border and counts your days. ETIAS is the permission you get before the trip.
The official ETIAS site says ETIAS comes after EES, which is already running. You can read how the Entry/Exit System works in our guide to it.
Who will need ETIAS?
People from countries whose citizens can visit without a visa, coming for a short stay. The official list includes the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Mexico and Brazil, among many others. Children need one too.
So yes, Americans will need ETIAS once it starts. It will sit on top of the visa-free rules you already know: see how long Americans can stay in Europe. UK citizens will need one as well, unless they live in one of the 30 countries under the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and hold its residence document. To check your own passport, use our free passport index.
You will not need ETIAS if you:
- Hold a passport from one of the 30 countries or Ireland. If you are a dual citizen, you travel on that passport.
- Live there. A residence permit or residence card from one of the 30 countries covers you. A Cypriot permit only covers Cyprus.
- Have a visa. A Schengen visa or a national long-stay visa.
- Come from Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or the Vatican.
- Need a visa anyway. Then you apply for a visa, not an ETIAS.
- Stay airside. No ETIAS is needed if you stay in an airport's international transit area.
Which countries will need ETIAS?
Thirty: the 29 Schengen countries plus Cyprus. One ETIAS will cover all of them.
They 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.
Ireland and the UK are not on the list. When you apply, you name the first country you plan to stay in. Once you have the ETIAS, you can change your plans and go to any of the 30.
How long can you stay with ETIAS?
Up to 90 days in any 180-day period. That is the same short-stay limit visa-free travellers have now. ETIAS does not add days. Read how the Schengen 90/180 rule works to see how the days are counted.
Cyprus is the exception. Days there are counted on their own and do not use up the 90 days in the other countries.
The ETIAS itself will be valid for 3 years, or until the passport you used expires, whichever comes first. You can come and go as often as you like in that time, as long as you keep to the 90/180 limit. Get a new passport and you need a new ETIAS. The EU will email you before yours runs out, and you can apply for the next one from 120 days before it ends.
To stay longer than 90 days, or to work, you will usually need a visa or permit from one country, not an ETIAS.
How much will ETIAS cost?
EUR 20 per application on the official site. Some people pay nothing.
| Who | Fee |
|---|---|
| Most applicants | EUR 20 |
| Under 18 when applying | No fee |
| Over 70 when applying | No fee |
| Family member of an EU citizen, if eligible | No fee |
The fee is not refunded if your application is refused. You pay online with a card. If you use a third-party site, anything above EUR 20 goes to that site, not the EU.
How will you apply for ETIAS?
Online, on the official ETIAS website or app, once it opens. The official advice is to get your ETIAS before you buy tickets or book a hotel.
The official list of what you need to apply says you will need:
- A passport. Valid for at least 3 more months, and issued in the last 10 years.
- An email address and a payment card.
- Your details. Name, date and place of birth, nationality, home address, parents' first names and phone number.
- Your job and education. Your level of education and your current job.
- Your plans and history. Where you plan to go, plus questions on criminal convictions, travel to war or conflict zones and any recent order to leave a country.
Someone else, like a family member or a travel agency, can apply for you if you both sign a declaration. A parent or guardian applies for a child.
| Your case | Decision within |
|---|---|
| Most cases | Minutes |
| Needs more checks | 4 days |
| Asked for more information | Up to 14 more days |
| Invited to an interview | Up to 30 more days |
Can an ETIAS be refused?
Yes. The official FAQ lists the main reasons:
- Your passport was reported lost, stolen or invalid.
- You are seen as a risk for security, illegal immigration or a serious epidemic.
- You did not reply to a request for more information, or missed an interview.
- You were refused entry before and an alert was recorded.
- Your answers are in doubt. There are reasonable doubts about your data or documents.
Past overstays count too. The ETIAS law says each application will be checked for whether you are, or have been, recorded as an overstayer in EES. A match means a person checks your application by hand instead of an automatic yes. That is one more reason to keep to your days now. Our free Schengen calculator adds up your trips.
If you are refused, the email gives the reasons and explains how to appeal. The appeal goes to the country that refused you. You can also apply again: a past refusal does not mean an automatic no. If you need to travel for humanitarian reasons, you can ask for an ETIAS with limited validity.
Does ETIAS guarantee entry?
No. A border guard still checks that you meet the entry rules and can refuse you entry. Having an ETIAS is not an automatic right to enter.
Three things to get right on the day:
- Carry the same passport. Your ETIAS is linked to the passport you applied with. With a different one, you can be refused boarding.
- Check your details match. A mistake in your name or passport number means you will not be let across the border.
- Mind your passport's dates. It must be valid for 3 months after you plan to leave, with some exceptions.
You do not need to print your ETIAS. Airlines and border guards can check it electronically. The official ETIAS FAQ answers the less common cases, like transit, dual citizens and family members of EU citizens.