Is ETIAS in force yet?
We check the official European Commission source every day, and update this page when something changes. Last updated .
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No. ETIAS is not in operation yet.
No applications are being collected, no fee is payable, and no website or app can give you an ETIAS today. Anyone charging you for one right now is not selling you an ETIAS.
ETIAS has been delayed, and no new start date has been announced. The European Union removed its late-2026 target from its own pages over the summer of 2026, and the delay is tied to the problems with the Entry/Exit System — see our EES status page. The EU has said it will announce the specific date several months before ETIAS starts, so travellers will have warning rather than waking up to a new requirement.
Is it delayed until 2027? That is what has been reported — the Financial Times first reported the slip to 2027 in July 2026, and immigration practitioners have repeated it since. But the European Union has not confirmed any new date, and until it does, 2027 is a press report rather than a timetable. The next point at which a new schedule could be set is the eu-LISA management board on 17-19 November 2026 in Dublin. We check the official source every day and this page changes the moment the answer does.
What is already decided
The rules were settled long before the start date. This is what will apply when ETIAS begins:
- Who will need one
- Nationals of around 60 visa-exempt countries and territories — including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and Brazil — travelling to any of the 30 European countries that require it.
- Who will not
- Nationals of the 30 European countries themselves, and of Ireland. Holders of a residence permit or a long-stay visa for one of those countries.
- What it costs
- EUR 20. Free for under-18s and over-70s, and for family members of EU nationals who meet the conditions.
- How long it lasts
- Up to three years, or until the passport it is linked to expires — whichever comes first.
- What it allows
- Short stays, normally up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as many times as you like while it is valid.
- What it does not do
- It does not replace a passport and it does not guarantee entry. Border authorities decide at the border.
What we are watching
We check the official sources and update this page. These are the things that would change the answer above:
- The official ETIAS website, for the start date and any change to the requirement
- eu-LISA, the EU agency running the systems: its management board is where a new timetable would be set, and the next meeting with a public date is 17-19 November 2026 in Dublin
- The rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which comes before ETIAS — tracked on our EES status page
- Changes to the list of countries whose nationals need an authorisation
- The fee, the exemptions and the validity period
Questions people ask
Is ETIAS required right now?
No. ETIAS is not in operation, and no applications are being collected. We check the official source every day and update this page when something changes; it was last updated on 8 October 2026.
Has ETIAS been delayed?
Yes. The late-2026 target the European Union had been working to was removed from its own pages over the summer of 2026. The delay is tied to problems with the Entry/Exit System, which has to be fully working first.
Is ETIAS delayed until 2027?
That is what has been reported — the Financial Times reported the slip to 2027 in July 2026 — but the European Union has not confirmed a new date. Until it does, 2027 is a press report and not an official timetable. The next meeting at which a new schedule could be set is the eu-LISA management board on 17-19 November 2026 in Dublin.
When will ETIAS start?
No date has been announced. The late-2026 target that had been expected was removed from the EU's own pages over the summer of 2026, and the timing is now tied to the problems with the Entry/Exit System. The European Union has said it will communicate the specific start date several months before launch, so you will have warning.
How much will ETIAS cost?
EUR 20 per application. Applicants under 18 or over 70 are exempt from the fee, as are family members of EU nationals who meet the relevant conditions. The fee is set by the European authorities.
How long will an ETIAS be valid?
Up to three years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport you will need a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
Does a child need an ETIAS?
Yes. Every traveller needs their own, including children. Applications for anyone under 18 must be submitted by a parent or legal guardian. Under-18s do not pay the fee.
I have dual nationality. Do I need one?
Not if one of your nationalities is from an EU country, or from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. In that case you travel on that passport and no ETIAS is needed.
Does an ETIAS guarantee I can enter?
No. It is an authorisation to travel, not a right of entry. Border guards check your documents on arrival and always have the final say.
How long will an application take?
Most applications are expected to be processed within minutes. Some take longer: a decision within four days, extended by up to 14 days if you are asked for more documents, or up to 30 days if you are invited to an interview. That is why applying well before you travel matters.
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Change log
- Corrected the answer on dual nationality. You don’t need an ETIAS if one of your passports is from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. We had wrongly written “a country that requires ETIAS”. The rest of the page was last checked on 7 October.
- Checked against the official source. No change: ETIAS is still not in operation and no start date has been announced.
About this page
VIARYO is not a government body and this page is not an official source. We read the official information published by the European Commission and summarise what it says, with the date we last checked it — you can read how we check our information. Where the two ever disagree, the official source is right and we are wrong — always confirm your own situation at the official ETIAS website.
The Entry/Exit System is the change that is already live. We track it on our EES status page, and our guide Visa, ETIAS or nothing? explains which of the three requirements actually applies to you.
We are building VIARYO so that travellers do not have to keep checking pages like this one themselves.