Step-by-Step ETIAS Application Guide for UK Travellers

Brexit changed more than the colour of your passport. As a UK passport holder, you now travel to most of Europe as a visa-exempt non-EU national, which adds a new step to your holiday checklist.

That step is ETIAS, a short online travel authorisation linked to your passport. It isn’t a visa, and it will cover short stays in 30 European countries, from France and Spain to Switzerland.

The official ETIAS website states that the system is not yet in operation. The EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch, so you’ll have time to adjust your travel plans.

The change has already started at the border. The Entry/Exit System (EES) has replaced passport stamping in most European countries, and ETIAS is the next step of that shift.

This guide explains who needs ETIAS, what to prepare, how the application works, and how to time it around your next trip.

What ETIAS Is (and What It Isn’t) for UK Passport Holders

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a pre-travel authorisation that visa-exempt visitors, including UK nationals, will need before entering 30 European countries for short stays. It’s a digital permission linked to your passport, and it gives you no right to live, work, or study in Europe.

Why British travellers need it after Brexit

When the UK left the European Union, British citizens lost the free movement rights that once let them cross EU borders with a simple ID check. You now count as a third-country national, the EU’s term for anyone who isn’t a citizen of a member state or a country with equivalent rights.

The UK sits on the EU’s list of visa-exempt countries, so you don’t need a visa for short trips. ETIAS is the screening step the EU will apply to every visa-exempt traveller before they set off.

Your stay is capped at 90 days in any 180-day period. That limit covers holidays, family visits, and short business trips such as meetings or conferences.

ETIAS vs. a Schengen Visa

A Schengen visa requires booking an appointment, visiting a consulate or visa centre, and submitting supporting documents. ETIAS is an online form you complete on your phone or laptop, with no interview in most cases.

Nothing gets stamped or stuck into your passport. Your authorisation is stored electronically and tied to the travel document you used to apply, so you must travel on that same passport.

Approval doesn’t guarantee entry. Border guards still check your passport and can ask for proof that you meet the entry conditions, such as a return ticket or details of where you’re staying.

Where ETIAS applies

ETIAS will cover 30 countries, which include most EU member states and four non-EU countries in the Schengen Area.

Ireland is the one EU country that won’t require ETIAS. Travel between the UK and Ireland continues under the Common Travel Area, the long-standing arrangement between the two countries.

Cyprus works differently from the rest of the list. Days you spend there are counted separately and don’t count towards the 90 days you can spend in the other 29 countries.

Who Needs to Apply and Who Can Skip It

Every UK passport holder visiting ETIAS countries for short-term stays will need an approved ETIAS, regardless of age. You can skip it if you hold an EU passport, live in Europe with a residence permit, or plan a stay that requires a visa.

British travellers who need ETIAS

If you hold a British passport and no other nationality that gives you EU rights, ETIAS applies to you. The rule covers holidaymakers, people visiting family, and anyone on a short business trip.

Age makes no difference. Babies, children, and teenagers each need their own authorisation, and so do travellers over 70.

Each ETIAS is tied to one person’s passport. A family of four on the same booking still needs four separate approvals.

Dual nationals and Irish passport holders

If you’re also an Irish citizen, or hold the nationality of another EU country, you can travel on that passport and skip the ETIAS application process entirely. The same applies if your second passport is from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland.

Travelling on your EU passport also keeps you out of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which registers the fingerprints and facial images of non-EU visitors. You walk through border control as an EU citizen, with no day count attached to your stay.

Pick one passport and use it for the whole journey. A common mistake is booking with your British passport and showing your Irish one at the airport, which leaves the airline looking for an ETIAS linked to the passport on your booking.

Brits living in Europe

UK nationals who live in an EU country with a residence permit don’t need ETIAS. That includes people who moved before Brexit and hold residence documents issued under the Withdrawal Agreement.

Holders of national long-stay visas are exempt too. Your permit or visa already gives you the right to be there, so you don’t need a separate authorisation.

Family ties can also exempt you. If you’re a non-EU national closely related to an EU citizen and hold a residence card, you can travel without ETIAS; the same applies to family members of Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian, and Swiss nationals who hold a residence card or permit.

When you need a visa instead

ETIAS only covers visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. If you plan to stay longer, you’ll need a national visa or residence permit from the country where you want to live.

Work and study follow the same rule. A paid job, a full degree course, a research post, or an au pair placement requires the visa or permit that the destination country sets for that purpose, and you apply through its embassy or immigration authority.

Second-home owners often run into the 90-day limit first. Many Brits who want to spend longer stretches at a property abroad apply for a long-stay visitor visa, such as the one France offers to people who can support themselves without working.

Is ETIAS Live Yet? Where Things Stand Right Now

No, ETIAS isn’t live yet, and you don’t need one for trips to Europe right now. The official EU website says the system isn’t operational and isn’t accepting applications.

The EU hasn’t published a start date. It has committed to announcing one on the official ETIAS website several months before launch, so you’ll get advance notice before the change affects your trips.

Until then, you can travel on your British passport as usual. Airlines, ferry operators, and border guards won’t ask you for an ETIAS travel authorisation before the system goes live.

Any website offering an ETIAS application form today is not official. The EU isn’t accepting applications yet, so paying an application fee now won’t get you anything you can use at the border.

The EU adopted the ETIAS rules in 2018, and the start date has been pushed back several times since. The official ETIAS website is the place to check for the confirmed date.

Launch day won’t make ETIAS compulsory overnight. Under the ETIAS Regulation, a transitional period follows the start of operations, during which you can apply but won’t be turned away for not holding an authorisation.

A grace period comes next. During that time, border guards can let you in without an ETIAS if it’s your first entry since the transitional period ended, as long as you meet every other entry condition.

Once the grace period ends, ETIAS becomes a firm requirement. Travelling without a valid authorisation will no longer be an option.

The border itself has already changed. The EES began a phased rollout on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 across 29 European countries.

The first time you cross into one of those countries, border staff scan your passport and record your fingerprints and a facial image. Most of these countries have replaced passport stamps, with Cyprus still stamping passports by hand.

ETIAS will work alongside that system once it launches. It adds a check before you leave home to the one that already happens when you arrive.

What You Need Before You Start Your Application

You need a passport that meets Schengen rules, an email address, a payment card, and a phone or computer with internet access. You’ll also answer questions about your personal details, education, job, and background.

A passport that meets Schengen rules

Check two dates on your photo page: the issue date and the expiry date. It must stay valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave the countries requiring ETIAS.

The Schengen countries also require your passport to have been issued within the previous 10 years on the day you enter. This catches out some Brits with older passports, because UK passports renewed early before September 2018 could carry up to nine extra months on top of the standard 10 years.

If your passport is close to either limit, renew it before you apply. Your ETIAS is tied to the passport details you enter, so you’ll need to carry the same passport you apply with.

Your email, payment card, and device

You can apply through the official ETIAS website or mobile app, so a smartphone, tablet, or computer will do. Keep your passport nearby, since you’ll copy details straight from the photo page.

Use an email address you check regularly. Your confirmation and the decision on your application both arrive by email.

The fee is €20, paid online by debit or credit card. These travellers don’t pay:

• Applicants under 18
• Applicants over 70
• Family members of EU citizens who need an ETIAS, along with family members of Icelandic, Liechtenstein, Norwegian, and Swiss nationals

The personal and background details you will be asked for

The form starts with standard personal details. Expect to give your full name, any surname at birth, date and place of birth, nationality, home address, phone number, and your parents’ first names.

You’ll also select your education level and current job from set options. The form then asks which country you plan to enter first.

A short set of background questions follows. You’ll be asked about:

• Convictions for serious criminal offences in the past 10 years, or 25 years for terrorist offences
• Time spent in war or conflict zones in the past 10 years, and the reason for it
• Any refusal of entry, or order to leave an EU or Schengen country, in the past 10 years

Answer every question honestly. Your details are checked against EU information systems, Europol data, and Interpol databases of stolen passports and wanted persons, so answers that don’t match the records can hold up your application.

How to Apply for ETIAS, Step by Step

Once ETIAS launches, you’ll apply online through the official website or app, fill in a single form, pay the fee, and submit. The process will feel familiar if you’ve used an ESTA to visit the US, since both are online checks for visa-free travellers.

Start on the official website or app

Use only the official ETIAS website or the official ETIAS mobile app. Both are run by the EU and lead to the same application.

Search results often show private sites offering to apply for you. Some describe the scheme as an ETIAS visa waiver and add a service charge on top of the official fee for a form you can complete yourself.

Fill in the form carefully

Copy your details straight from your passport’s photo page instead of typing from memory. Your name must match the passport exactly, including any middle names, in the same order.

Check your passport number twice before moving on. A single wrong digit means your authorisation won’t match the passport you show, and you can be refused boarding or entry.

Enter the date your passport was issued and the date it expires exactly as printed. Read through every answer on the summary screen before you continue to payment.

Pay and submit

The payment page lists the fee as EUR 20, and you pay by card. Your bank may add a small foreign transaction charge, since the fee is taken in euros.

After you submit, you’ll receive an email confirming your application. It includes your unique ETIAS application number.

Save that number somewhere easy to find, such as a screenshot or a note on your phone. You’ll need it whenever you check your application or contact the ETIAS team.

Applying for children or someone else

A parent or legal guardian completes the application for anyone under 18. You’ll enter the child’s passport details along with your own details as the person applying.

You can also apply for another adult, such as an elderly parent, if they authorise you to do so. The form asks for your name and contact details, plus a declaration that you’re acting on their behalf.

Each traveller gets a separate application number. If you’re applying for a whole family or group, keep a record of each number and match it to the right name.

How Long ETIAS Takes and When to Apply

Most ETIAS applications will be processed within minutes, though a small number can take several weeks. Apply before you book flights or accommodation, so a slow decision can’t put your trip at risk.

Standard processing times

The ETIAS system checks your answers automatically against EU databases as soon as you submit. If nothing needs a closer look, you’ll receive your decision by email within minutes.

Children’s applications go through the same checks. If you’re applying for minors in your family, submit everyone’s forms at once so you don’t have to wait for a single approval after the rest have come through.

When your application takes longer

An application moves to manual review when the automated check flags something that a person needs to assess. Staff from the country responsible for your application, usually the one you plan to enter first, then look at your case.

The official ETIAS website sets out how long each stage can take:

Reply to any request for information as quickly as you can. Your decision will follow once the reviewing team receives the extra details or documents.

An interview can take place by video call or in person at a consulate. Arranging it is what makes this the longest route to a decision.

The best time to apply before your trip

The official ETIAS guidance says to apply before you buy tickets or book accommodation. Getting approval first means you won’t be left holding bookings for a trip you can’t take.

Timing matters most around the UK’s busiest travel periods. Summer holidays, half-term, Easter, and Christmas bring the heaviest demand for flights, ferries, and Eurostar seats, and families often book months in advance.

If you’re planning a summer break in January, apply for ETIAS in January too. Waiting until departure gets you little.

Last-minute city breaks carry the most risk. Most decisions take minutes, yet a trip booked for the coming weekend could arrive before your answer does if your application goes to manual review.

After You Apply: Approvals, Refusals, and Mistakes

Once you apply, you’ll receive an email with the outcome, and your first job is to check every detail on an approval. If you spot a mistake or your application is refused, you have clear options to put it right or challenge the decision.

Checking your approval

Open the approval email as soon as it arrives and compare it line by line with your passport. Your name, passport number, nationality, and date of birth must all match exactly.

Even a small error matters. If the details on your authorisation don’t match your passport, you won’t be allowed to cross the border.

Keep the approval email and your application number somewhere you can reach offline. Border staff check your authorisation electronically, but having the details to hand helps if they ask a question at check-in.

Fixing an error in your application

The quickest fix for a wrong name or passport number is to submit a new ETIAS application with the correct details. You’ll pay the fee again, and most applications are processed within minutes.

You can also request that incorrect information be corrected on your existing record. A correction request can take up to a month, so it works best when your trip is far off.

The same rule applies if your personal details change after approval. A new surname after marriage, a change of nationality, or a new email address you depend on for notifications are all reasons to apply again.

If your application is refused

A refusal email explains why the decision was made. It also tells you how to appeal, which authority handles your case, and the deadline for lodging an appeal.

Refusals are based on the risks the checks are designed to catch. Common grounds include:

• A passport reported lost, stolen, or invalid
• An alert in EU systems refusing you entry
• A security concern linked to serious criminal records
• A risk of irregular migration, such as past overstays
• Failing to provide requested information or attend an interview

A refusal doesn’t automatically follow from every past conviction. Each application is assessed on its own facts, and the reviewing country weighs the seriousness and age of any offence.

Appeals go to the country that refused your application, under that country’s national law. Follow the instructions in your refusal email closely, because missing the deadline ends your right to appeal.

You can also submit a fresh application. This makes most sense when the refusal came from missing information or an error you can now correct.

In exceptional cases, a country can issue a travel authorisation with limited territorial validity. This is granted on humanitarian grounds, for reasons of national interest, or under international obligations, and it only lets you enter the country that issued it.

Using Your ETIAS: Validity, Renewals, and Your 90 Days

Your ETIAS stays valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Within that time, you can visit as often as you like, as long as you stay no longer than 90 days in any 180-day period.

Three years or until your passport expires

The three-year clock starts on the day your ETIAS is approved. If your passport runs out before those three years are up, your authorisation ends on the same day.

Your UK biometric passport carries a chip, and your ETIAS is linked to that specific document. Any new passport, whether you renew early or replace one that’s lost or stolen, needs a new authorisation.

Renew your passport first and apply for ETIAS once the new one arrives. An application made with your old passport details won’t transfer across.

ETIAS doesn’t renew itself. When your three years end, you submit a fresh application and pay the fee again.

Counting your days under the 90/180 rule

The 180-day period is a rolling window, not a fixed calendar half-year. On any day of your trip, look back over the previous 180 days and add up every day you spent in countries that require ETIAS.

That total, including today, can’t go above 90. Your arrival and departure days both count as full days.

A worked example makes the maths clearer. If you spend 60 days at your apartment in Spain from early March, you have 30 days left if you return in July, since the March and April days still fall within the last six months.

Those earlier days start dropping out of the window from late August. Each day that falls away frees up another day you can use.

Time spent in Cyprus is counted separately from the other 29 countries. A fortnight in Paphos doesn’t reduce the days you have left for France or Italy.

You don’t have to keep the tally on paper. The EES records each entry and exit, and the EES online tool shows how many days you have left, as do some border crossing points.

Overstaying is logged automatically. It can lead to fines or entry bans and can count against you on future ETIAS applications.

Unlimited trips within the validity period

One ETIAS covers as many trips as you want during its validity. A Christmas market weekend, a summer fortnight, and a spring stag do can all run on the same authorisation.

You aren’t tied to the country you named as your first stop. Once approved, you can travel to any of the 30 countries on any trip.

Your ETIAS must remain valid for your entire stay. Check its end date before a longer trip, and apply again first if it would run out while you’re still away.

What Happens When You Reach the Border

At the border, staff scan your passport, check your biometrics, and confirm you meet the entry conditions for your stay. Once ETIAS launches, your travel company will also check for a valid authorisation before you board.

Airlines, ferry operators, coach companies, and rail operators will check your ETIAS status at check-in. If your passport has no valid authorisation linked to it, you won’t be allowed to board.

The EES already applies at every crossing into the 29 countries that use it. The first time you enter, border staff scan your passport and record your fingerprints and a facial image.

Children under 12 have their photo taken but don’t give fingerprints. As an adult, refusing to provide your biometrics means you’ll be refused entry.

Your passport no longer gets stamped in most of these countries. EES records the date and place of each entry and exit electronically instead, and Cyprus is the one country that still stamps by hand.

Later crossings are quicker. The system already holds your record, so staff only need to verify your face or fingerprints against it.

Many airports offer self-service kiosks and automated e-gates for EES checks. A UK biometric passport lets you use these where they’re available, though a border guard still makes the final decision.

Some crossings happen before you leave the UK. At the Port of Dover, the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone, and London St Pancras for Eurostar, French border police carry out checks on British soil, so you complete EES registration before departure.

Allow extra time at these points, particularly on your first trip. Registration at Dover and Folkestone takes place at booths, and queues build during school holidays.

Border guards may ask questions about your trip, so be ready to answer them clearly. Carry the following, either printed or saved offline on your phone:

• Your return or onward ticket
• Proof of where you’re staying, such as a hotel booking or an invitation letter from your host
• Evidence that you can cover your costs, such as bank statements or a credit card
• Travel insurance details

Some countries set a minimum daily amount of money that visitors must be able to show. Check the rules for your destination before you go, since the figure varies between countries.

Having an approved ETIAS doesn’t guarantee you’ll get in. Border guards still decide whether you meet the entry conditions, and they can refuse entry if you don’t.

How to Spot ETIAS Scams and Copycat Websites

The safest way to avoid ETIAS scams is to apply only through the official EU website or app, which charges €20. Any site that asks for more money, or takes applications before ETIAS launches, is not the official service.

Copycat websites often look official. They use EU-style blue and yellow colours, star logos, and names that include “ETIAS”, and they can appear above the official site in search results.

The official ETIAS website is on the europa.eu domain.eu domain. Check the full web address in your browser before you type any personal details.

Some private companies offer to submit applications for you and charge a service fee on top of the official €20. That model is legal when the company is open about its role, but you’re paying extra for a form you can fill in yourself.

Scam sites go further. They take your money and passport details and never submit an application, or they sell your data.

Right now, no website can process an ETIAS application. The EU isn’t accepting any until the system launches, and there’s no such thing as ETIAS “pre-registration”.

Watch for these warning signs:

• A fee above €20, or charges for children under 18 and travellers over 70, who don’t pay on the official site
• Countdown timers, “limited places”, or warnings that you must apply today
• Promises of guaranteed approval or a paid “fast track”
• Requests for documents the official form doesn’t ask for, such as a photo of your bank card or your National Insurance number
• Payment by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards

Scams also arrive by email and text message. Be wary of any message about an ETIAS you haven’t applied for, or one that asks you to click a link and pay again to “verify” your application.

Your real application number comes in the confirmation email after you apply on the official site. If a message doesn’t match an application you made, delete it without clicking anything.

Bookmark the official ETIAS page now and use that link every time. Going straight to the bookmark keeps you away from sponsored search results and lookalike addresses.

The official site is also where the EU will publish the ETIAS launch date. Checking it directly means you won’t rely on secondhand claims about when the system starts.

If you’ve paid a suspicious site, contact your bank or card provider straight away. You can report the fraud to Action Fraud in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, or to Police Scotland if you live in Scotland.

Get Your Paperwork Sorted Before You Pack

ETIAS isn’t live yet, so you can keep visiting Europe on your British passport as usual for now. Use the time to check your passport’s issue and expiry dates and bookmark the official ETIAS page at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias.

When the EU announces the launch date, apply through the official website or app before you book your next trip. A few minutes online now can save you from a denied boarding later.