Systems in detail
ETIAS: the EU travel authorisation for visa-free visitors, and where its start date stands
ETIAS is a planned EU travel authorisation for visa-exempt non-EU nationals visiting 30 European countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period 1. The fee will be €20 once it runs 1. An approval will last three years or until the passport expires 4. As of 19 October 2026, ETIAS is not in operation and no official start date has been published 1,5. Reports in July 2026 said the launch was likely to slip into 2027 5.
What ETIAS is
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a pre-travel check for people who do not need a visa to visit Europe. The European Commission says it will apply to visa-free travellers visiting 30 European countries for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period 1. Its aim is to spot security, irregular migration or high epidemic risks before a person travels 1.
ETIAS is not a visa. Border guards will check the authorisation together with the passport at the border 1. Frontex says airlines, bus and ferry companies will have to refuse boarding to travellers who lack a valid authorisation 2.
The legal basis is Regulation (EU) 2018/1240, adopted on 12 September 2018 1. The EU agency eu-LISA builds the system. Frontex hosts the ETIAS Central Unit, and each of the 30 countries has an ETIAS National Unit 1,2.
Who will need ETIAS
ETIAS will apply to nationals of countries whose citizens can enter the Schengen area without a visa for short stays 3. Frontex says this covers citizens of more than 60 countries 2. It will apply to some family members of EU citizens who do not hold a residence card. Their applications are assessed for security only and are free of charge 3.
The Regulation excludes several groups. These include refugees and stateless people with travel documents issued by an EU country, family members who hold a residence card, holders of long-stay visas and holders of residence permits 3. People who need a Schengen visa apply for a visa instead.
Holders can apply for a new one from 120 days before the old one expires 3.
Fee, validity and processing time
The 2018 Regulation set the fee at €7 3. In October 2025 the Commission said the fee would rise to €20, citing inflation since 2018 and new operating costs. The new fee takes effect once ETIAS is operational 1. Applicants under 18 or over 70 at the time of application pay nothing 3. Some older official pages still give the €7 figure 4.
An approved authorisation will be valid for three years, or until the travel document used to apply expires, whichever comes first. It allows multiple entries 4.
The EU says most applications will be decided within minutes. Others should be decided within four days. That can stretch to 14 days if the applicant is asked for more documents, or to 30 days if an interview is required 4. Frontex expects about 97 percent of applications to be approved automatically 2.
| Item | Planned rule |
|---|---|
| Countries covered | 30 European countries 1 |
| Length of stay | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period 1 |
| Fee | €20, free under 18 and over 70 1,3 |
| Validity | 3 years or until passport expiry 4 |
| Typical decision | Minutes, up to 30 days in some cases 4 |
| Status on 19 October 2026 | Not operating, no start date published 1,5 |
What checks ETIAS will run
Applicants will answer questions about their identity, passport and travel plans. The Regulation lists background questions. Applicants must say whether they were convicted of certain serious offences in the past 10 years, or of a terrorist offence in the past 20 years. They must say whether they stayed in a war or conflict zone in the past 10 years and why. They must say whether they were ordered to leave an EU country or certain other countries in the past 10 years 3.
The system compares each application against the ETIAS Central System, the Schengen Information System, the Entry/Exit System, the Visa Information System, Eurodac, Europol data and the Interpol databases on stolen and lost travel documents and on travel documents linked to notices 3. It checks applications against an ETIAS watchlist and against screening rules built on risk indicators 3.
A computer alone cannot refuse an application. Any hit must be reviewed by hand by an ETIAS National Unit 3. The Regulation says risk indicators may not be based only on a person's sex or age or on other protected characteristics 3. Frontex says a Fundamental Rights Guidance Board, with members from the European Data Protection Supervisor, the European Data Protection Board and the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, advises on the screening rules 2.
Start date: status as of 19 October 2026
ETIAS has been delayed several times. The Commission's page, dated 6 October 2025, says ETIAS is not in operation, no applications are being collected, and the start date will be announced several months before launch 1. An EU page from April 2025 gave the last quarter of 2026 as the planned start 4.
In July 2026, press reports said the 2026 target would not be met. InsideFlyer reported on 13 July 2026 that eu-LISA confirmed the 2026 deadline was unfeasible, that its management board discussed postponement in June 2026, and that a new timeline might follow a September session 5. The reports linked the delay to problems in the rollout of the Entry/Exit System, which ETIAS queries at the border and during checks 2,5.
As of 19 October 2026, this site found no official EU announcement of a new start date. The plain position is that ETIAS is not yet required, nobody can apply for it yet, and the launch date is unknown. Travellers should check the official EU site before booking trips in 2027.
Refusals, appeals and your data
If an application is refused, the email will give the reasons, the authority that decided, how to appeal and the deadline 4. Appeals are heard in the country that made the decision, under that country's law 3.
Application data is kept for the validity period of the authorisation. After a refusal, annulment or revocation, it is kept for five years from that decision. With the applicant's consent, data can be kept for up to three more years after the authorisation expires 3.
How to spot unofficial ETIAS sites
The EU warns that many websites falsely claim to be official and use the EU logo. They may collect personal data, charge extra fees or steal passport and card details 4.
The only official ETIAS site sits on the europa.eu domain, at travel-europe.europa.eu. Official EU websites use the europa.eu domain 1,4. The Commission says applications will be made through the official website or an official app once the system goes live 1.
Common questions
Can I apply for ETIAS now?
No. As of 19 October 2026, ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected 1.
How much will ETIAS cost?
€20 once the system runs, with no fee for applicants under 18 or over 70 1,3.
How long will an ETIAS last?
Three years, or until the passport used to apply expires, whichever comes first 4.
Is ETIAS the same as the Entry/Exit System?
No. The Entry/Exit System records border crossings and has run in full since 10 April 2026. ETIAS is a pre-travel authorisation that has not started 1,6.
Can I appeal an ETIAS refusal?
Yes. Appeals go to the country that decided the application, under its national law 3,4.
Related
Sources
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs: European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) (6 October 2025)
- Frontex: About ETIAS (checked 19 October 2026)
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2018/1240 establishing ETIAS (2018)
- European External Action Service: Information on the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) (22 April 2025)
- InsideFlyer: ETIAS launch delayed again, now expected in 2027 (13 July 2026)
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs: Entry/Exit System (EES) (10 April 2026)
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