Do you need anything extra to visit Europe now that ETIAS is in the news? Not yet, but a change is coming for British travellers.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is an online entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals visiting 30 European countries. It applies to British passport holders, as well as visitors from countries such as New Zealand, and is linked to the travel document you use to apply.
ETIAS is not yet operational, and no applications are being collected. The EU will announce the start date several months before launch, so you will have time to prepare before it is checked at Europe’s external borders.
This guide explains who needs ETIAS, which countries it covers, what it costs, and how to apply. It also covers processing times, how long the authorisation lasts, and how to avoid mistakes and unofficial sites.
What Is ETIAS and How Does It Work?
ETIAS is an online travel authorisation that visa-exempt travellers need to enter 30 European countries for a short stay. You apply before you travel, and the approval is linked to your passport.
An Authorisation, Not a Visa
ETIAS stands for European Travel Information and Authorisation System, and the European Union runs it. It is an entry requirement for travellers who do not need a visa, not a visa itself.
You complete the ETIAS application online and receive the decision by email. The authorisation is tied to the passport you used, so it works only with that document.
Carry the same passport on the day you travel. If you present a different one, you will not be allowed to board your flight, bus, or ship, or enter any country that requires ETIAS.
What ETIAS Does Not Guarantee
A valid authorisation does not give you an automatic right of entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and check that you meet the entry conditions.
Travellers who do not meet those conditions are refused entry, even with an approved authorisation. Check your passport details against your approval before you leave, because a mismatch can stop you at the airport and at the border.
How ETIAS Differs from the EES
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a separate system that registers non-EU nationals each time they cross the external borders of 29 European countries. It has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 and replaces passport stamping in most of those countries.
At the border, EES collects your passport details, a facial image and fingerprints. The ETIAS system works earlier in the journey, approving you to travel before you leave home.
Most of the countries involved are part of the Schengen Area. You deal with each system at a different point in the same trip, so one does not replace the other.
Is ETIAS in Operation Yet?
No, ETIAS is not yet operational. The official ETIAS website confirms that no applications for travel authorisations are being collected.
Current Status of ETIAS
The official site states that ETIAS is not in operation. It adds that the EU will announce the specific start date several months before launch.
That notice period gives you time to prepare, so the requirement will not arrive overnight. You will hear about it well before you need to act.
You may have seen ETIAS compared with the US ESTA, since both are online authorisations for visa-exempt travellers. ETIAS has not started, so there is no European equivalent to apply for today.
What You Should Do Now
You have nothing to apply for at the moment. Book and travel as you normally would.
Check your passport expiry date now. ETIAS approval will be linked to your passport, so it’s worth replacing an old or soon-to-expire document early.
Allow a little extra time at the border. Travellers with a biometric passport can use automated border control systems where they are available, which can shorten the queue.
Bookmark the official ETIAS site. It is where the launch date will be published first.
Why Premature Applications Are a Red Flag
Any site offering to process an ETIAS application today is not offering an official authorisation. The official site isn’t accepting applications, so anything submitted elsewhere isn’t valid.
If a website asks you to pay now, close the page. Wait for the official announcement before you enter any passport details or card information.
Do British Citizens Need ETIAS?
Yes. British citizens travel to Europe without a visa, which places them in the group that needs an ETIAS travel authorisation for short stays.
Why UK Passport Holders Are in Scope
ETIAS is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals, and UK passport holders qualify as visa-exempt. You can visit the 30 European countries covered without applying for a visa first, so ETIAS replaces that check.
The authorisation covers short-term stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. That rolling window counts every day you spend in the covered countries, whether you travel in one trip or several.
You will not need to submit a separate request for each visit. One valid authorisation lets you enter as often as you want while it lasts.
Who Does Not Need ETIAS
Some travellers fall outside the requirement. Dual nationals who travel on an EU passport are treated as EU citizens, so they do not need an authorisation.
You also do not need one if you hold a residence permit or a long-stay visa for a European country. Those documents already allow you to stay beyond a short stay.
The same groups are mostly exempt from EES registration. Family members of EU nationals who hold a residence card are also in that category.
Purpose of Travel: Holidays, Business, Transit, and Study
ETIAS does not ask why you are going. A holiday, a city break, a business meeting and a stopover all fit within the short-stay rules, provided you stay within the 90-day limit.
Business travel covers activities such as attending meetings, conferences and trade fairs. Paid work for a European employer is a different matter, and you would need the right permission.
Study works the same way. A short course or a visit of a few weeks fits the short-stay rules, while a full degree programme usually needs a long-stay visa or residence permit instead.
If your plans run past 90 days, the authorisation will not stretch to cover them. Count your days from the start of your trip so you know where you stand.
Which Countries Will Require ETIAS?
ETIAS will be required for 30 European countries. You can find the full list on the official ETIAS website, and the map there is for illustration only because exceptions apply.
The 30 European Countries Covered
ETIAS applies to visa-exempt travellers entering any of the 30 countries on the official list. The EES covers a slightly different group of 29 countries, so don’t treat the two lists as the same.
The EES countries are:
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Croatia
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
Switzerland
Cyprus and Ireland still stamp passports manually.
Check the official ETIAS list before you book. It is the only source that will confirm which destinations need an authorisation once the system starts.
How Cyprus Is Treated Differently
Cyprus follows its own rule on stay length. The time you spend there is calculated separately and doesn’t count toward the 90 days you are allowed in other countries that require ETIAS.
Here is how that works in practice. You could spend 90 days across Spain, Italy and Greece, and your Cyprus days would be counted separately.
The reverse also applies. Days in the other countries do not reduce your Cyprus allowance.
Keep a record of where you spend each night. It makes both counts easier to track.
Travelling Across Several Countries on One Trip
A single authorisation covers every country that requires ETIAS. You go through the application process once, not once per destination.
You can cross between covered countries as often as you like while the authorisation is valid. Each entry is a separate check, and a border guard can still ask to see your passport and supporting documents.
The 90-day limit works across all the covered countries combined, with Cyprus counted separately. A fortnight in Portugal, three weeks in Germany, and a week in Poland all count against the same allowance.
If your itinerary includes a country outside the list, check its own entry rules separately. ETIAS does not change what that country requires.
How Much Does ETIAS Cost?
The ETIAS fee is EUR 20 per application. Some travellers are exempt from paying it.
The EUR 20 Application Fee
You pay the fee when you complete the application form, and the application is processed once the payment goes through. The cost is the same whether you travel for a weekend or a month.
The fee is charged in euros. If you pay with a UK bank card, your bank may convert the amount to pounds and add its own charge.
Check your card’s foreign transaction terms before you pay. A card with no overseas fees keeps the total at EUR 20 and avoids surprises on your statement.
The authorisation is valid for up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. One payment covers all trips during that period.
Who is Exempt from the Fee
Some travellers do not pay the EUR 20. The official ETIAS website sets out the exemption categories on its page about application requirements and payment exemptions.
Read that page before you pay anything. If you qualify, you skip the charge but still complete the application.
An exemption from the fee does not remove the requirement itself. You still need an approved authorisation linked to your passport.
Group, Family, and Multi-Traveller Budgeting
Each traveller needs their own authorisation, and each one is linked to that person’s passport. You cannot cover a partner, friend or child under your own application.
Children travelling on their own passports are included in that rule. A family of four with four passports submits four applications, so the cost could reach EUR 80 before any exemptions.
Add the fee to your trip budget early, especially if you travel as a group. A group of eight friends faces EUR 160 in total, split however you prefer.
Pay for each application separately and keep every confirmation email. The unique application number in each email matters if you need to refer to that traveller’s authorisation later.
How to Apply for ETIAS
You apply for ETIAS online, using either the official website or the official mobile app. Applications are not open yet, so this is how the process will work once ETIAS launches.
Where to Apply: The Official Website and Mobile App
There are two official ways to fill in the application form. One is the official ETIAS website, and the other is the ETIAS mobile application.
You do not need to visit an office or book an appointment. You complete everything from your phone or laptop.
What You Will Need
Gather a few items before you start:
A valid passport, which is the document your authorisation will be linked to
An email address you can access, since all updates arrive there
A payment card
Your personal details and information about your trip
Keep your passport next to you while you fill in the form. You will enter your name, passport number and other details exactly as they appear on it.
Accuracy matters because the authorisation is tied to your passport. If your name or passport number is wrong, you will not be allowed to cross the border.
Read each answer once more before you submit. A thirty-second check now saves you a problem at the airport.
What Happens After You Submit
You will receive an email confirming that your application has been submitted. It includes your unique ETIAS application number.
Save that number somewhere safe. You will need it if you have to refer back to your application later.
A second email arrives once your application has been processed. It tells you the outcome.
When the approval comes through, compare the details in it with your passport. Check your name, passport number and every other entry before you book anything non-refundable.
How Long Does ETIAS Take to Process?
Most ETIAS applications are processed within minutes. Some take longer; in those cases, you will receive a decision within four days.
Most Applications: Minutes
For the majority of travellers, the wait is short. You submit your application, and the decision usually arrives by email within minutes.
You do not need to do anything while you wait. The system sends you the outcome once it is ready.
Do not rely on a fast result, though. Your application can take longer than average, and you cannot predict which group you will fall into.
Longer Waits: Four Days, Plus Extensions
If your application is not decided straight away, you will receive a decision within four days. That window can grow depending on what the authorities need from you.
Here is how the extensions work:
Situation
Maximum time
Standard longer processing
4 days
You are asked for additional information or documents
Up to 14 more days
You are invited to an interview
Up to 30 days
If you are asked for more information, respond as soon as you can. The clock runs while the authorities wait for your reply.
An interview request is the longest scenario. Plan for the full 30 days if you receive one.
When to Apply Before Your Trip
Apply well in advance of your journey, before you buy your ticket or book your accommodation. That order protects your money if the decision takes longer than you expected.
Take a last-minute city break as an example. You decide on Friday to fly out on Sunday, and your application lands in the four-day group, so the decision arrives after your flight has left.
Now take a summer holiday booked months ahead. Even if you are asked for extra documents and an interview, you have the 30 days you need and time to spare.
Apply as soon as you have your dates and a valid passport. Early applications leave you room to fix problems, and late ones leave you hoping nothing goes wrong.
How Long Is ETIAS Valid and What Does It Allow?
An ETIAS travel authorisation is valid for up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. It lets you make short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period in the European countries that require it.
Three Years or Until Your Passport Expires
The validity period is tied to the passport you used in your application. If your passport expires after 18 months, your authorisation ends then, not after three years.
A new passport means a new authorisation. The old one is linked to the old document, so it will not carry over.
You can leave and come back at any time while your authorisation is valid, as long as you respect the stay limits. You must hold a valid authorisation for your entire stay, not only on the day you arrive.
Stay Limits: 90 Days in Any 180
The 90-day allowance runs on a rolling 180-day window. Every day you spend in the covered countries counts, and the window moves forward with each new day.
Here is a worked example. You spend 30 days in Spain in March, 30 days in Italy in May, and 30 days in Greece in July. You have used all 90 days, so you must wait for earlier days to drop out of the 180-day window before you return.
Count back 180 days from any date to see how many days you have used. Anything outside that window no longer counts against you.
Cyprus is counted separately and doesn’t count against the 90 days you can spend elsewhere. You can check how many days you have left with the EES online tool at travel-europe.europa.eu, or at some external border crossing points.
Passport Validity and Your Pre-Travel Checklist
Your passport must be valid for three months after your intended departure from the countries that require ETIAS. Exceptions apply, but you should plan around the rule, because border officials will refuse entry if your passport falls short.
Run through this list before you travel:
Your authorisation is still valid
The name and passport number on it match the passport you are carrying
You know how many days you have left to stay
Your passport has three months of validity beyond your planned departure
Do the check a few weeks before you leave. If something is wrong, you will still have time to fix it.
Common ETIAS Mistakes and What Happens If You Are Refused
The most common ETIAS mistake is a detail that does not match your passport, and it can stop you at the border. If your application is refused, you receive an email with the reasons and instructions on how to appeal.
Errors That Can Stop You at the Border
ETIAS is an electronic system that links your authorisation to one passport. If your name, passport number or any other detail is wrong, you will not be allowed to cross the border.
Travelling on a different passport from the one in your application causes the same result. A new or second passport will not work with an authorisation issued for another document.
Carrying the wrong document can also stop you before you reach the border. You will not be allowed to board your flight, bus or ship if your authorisation does not match.
Dual nationals should pay particular attention. Decide which passport you will travel on, and apply with that one.
Check these points before you submit and again when your approval arrives:
Your full name, spelled as it appears in your passport
Your passport number
The expiry date of the passport you plan to carry
Reading a Refusal Decision
A refusal arrives by email. The message gives the reasons for the decision, so you know why it happened.
It also includes information about how to appeal and the details of the competent authority. It also includes the time limit for lodging an appeal.
Read the email in full and note the deadline straight away. Missing the time limit can cost you the right to appeal.
A refusal of an authorisation is separate from a refusal at the border. Travellers from visa-exempt countries still face a border check, and anyone who does not meet the entry conditions is refused entry even with an approved authorisation.
Visa-free travel to Europe does not mean entry without checks. The authorisation is one requirement, and the border guard’s decision is another.
Fixing a Mistake in Your Application
If you spot an error after applying, fix it before you travel. Leaving an incorrect detail in place will cause problems on the day, so don’t wait.
Start with your confirmation email and your unique application number. Having that number to hand makes it easier to refer to the right application.
The official ETIAS website explains what to do if you made a mistake in your application. Use that guidance rather than a third-party service.
Check your approval email as soon as it arrives and compare each detail with your passport. Catching an error then gives you the most time to correct it.
How to Spot Official ETIAS Channels and Avoid Overpriced Sites
Official ETIAS channels are the EU’s travel-europe.europa.eu website and the ETIAS mobile app, and the official fee is EUR 20. Any site that charges far more, or accepts applications before the new ETIAS launches, is not the official service.
Recognising the Official Site and App
Official ETIAS information is available on the EU’s website. You can apply through that site or the ETIAS mobile application; those are the only two channels.
Check the web address before you enter any details. The domain should end in europa.eu, and the page should carry the European Union logo and the Commission’s oversight notice.
The official site also links to its privacy policy for EES and ETIAS. A legitimate service tells you how it stores your data and how you can exercise your rights.
Check where a link has taken you if you arrive from an advert or a social media post. If you’re unsure, type the address in yourself instead.
Warning Signs of Unofficial Services
Price is the clearest signal. The official fee is EUR 20, so a site that asks for noticeably more is adding its own charge.
Look for these signs before you pay:
A fee well above EUR 20 for the same authorisation
A claim that you must apply immediately or lose your place
An offer to process an application today, before ETIAS has launched
A web address that does not end in europa.eu
An offer to apply now is the biggest warning of all. ETIAS is not yet operational, so no site can issue a real authorisation for your travel plans today.
Be careful with sites that present themselves as official helpers. A paid service that fills in the form for you is still a third party, and you pay for something you can do yourself.
Where to Find Reliable Updates
The official ETIAS website is the place to watch for the launch date. The EU has said it will announce the specific start date several months before ETIAS begins.
Use the site’s FAQs and its pages on applying and payment exemptions when you have questions. They are written by the people who run the system, so they stay current.
Treat news stories and social media posts as pointers, not sources. If you see a launch date, check the official site before you act on it.
Check the official site before you book your next trip. A quick visit tells you whether anything has changed.
Get Your Passport Ready
ETIAS is a low-cost online authorisation, and it is not yet operational, so you have time to prepare. Check that your passport is valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure from Europe, and replace it early if it is close to expiry.
Bookmark the official ETIAS site, where the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. Until then, steer clear of any service offering to process an application, and keep planning your trip with confidence.
