EU confirms ETIAS will start in the last quarter for 60 nations

What ETIAS will require at the border

The European Union has confirmed its European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will begin operating in the last quarter of 2026, though no exact go-live date has been set. The official EU portal says travelers need to take no action yet and will be notified several months before launch.

ETIAS isn't a visa. It's an electronic pre-travel screening for visa-exempt nationals entering 30 European countries, covering the Schengen Area plus associated states like Cyprus. The system is tied to the rollout of the Entry/Exit System and will go live a few months after EES is fully running.

Enforcement will phase in. During the first roughly six months, border guards won't refuse entry solely for lacking ETIAS if travelers meet other conditions. A grace period of about six more months follows, after which most repeat travelers will need a valid authorization, per EU migration-law summaries. Strict mandatory use is unlikely before sometime in 2027.

Who needs to apply

Passport holders from more than 60 visa-exempt countries are affected, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico. It applies to short stays of up to 90 days in any 180 for tourism, business, family visits, medical treatment or transit.

Digital nomads relying on the 90/180 visa-free allowance to move between Schengen countries will need ETIAS for every entry once enforcement begins. Expats holding a national long-stay visa or residence permit from a Schengen state don't need it to enter that country, though they may need it when visiting other ETIAS states where they have no residency.

EU citizens, Schengen visa holders and dual nationals entering on an EU passport are exempt.

Fees, validity and how to file

Applications run online through the official ETIAS website or mobile app. Applicants submit passport details, contact information, travel plans and answers to security and health questions, then pay by card.

• Fee: 20 EUR ($23) per application
• Free for: applicants under 18 or 70 and over
• Validity: up to 3 years or until the passport expires
• Processing: typically minutes, though manual review can take days

Approval doesn't guarantee entry. Border officers can still refuse travelers who fail other checks.

Check our country guides for destination-specific details and more visa updates.