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ETIAS status for newcomers and visitors (updated 22 Oct 2026)

On the official EU ETIAS website, checked 22 Oct 2026: "ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point. The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch." We found no fixed start date on the official pages, so this guide gives none.

Official statusNot in operation, no start date announcedLast checked2026-10-22

Status on 22 October 2026

What ETIAS is

ETIAS is an online travel authorisation, not a visa. Per the official page it is "an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries" and it is linked to your passport. The 30 countries are the 29 Schengen countries plus Cyprus (official news item "Key differences ETIAS and the EES"). It is for short stays: "normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period". It "does not guarantee entry": border guards still check the entry conditions.

Who needs it

Nationals of the visa-exempt countries and territories on the official list (59 countries and territories, per the official news item of 14 Apr 2025) who travel to those 30 countries for a short stay. If your passport is from a country that does not need a visa for short stays in the Schengen area, this is you. Check the official "Who should apply" page for the list and for special rules on some passports.

Who does NOT need it

From the official "Who should apply" page, you do not need ETIAS if you are:

If you are moving, not visiting

ETIAS is for short stays. The official FAQ says it does not give you the right to work or study long-term: if you plan to stay longer you "will most likely need a long-term visa", and for work you need a work visa. Once you hold a residence permit from a country requiring ETIAS, you do not need ETIAS (see above).

Fee and validity

Transitional and grace periods

The official news items say the start of ETIAS will be followed by a transitional period and a grace period, which "will last for at least 12 months" together (14 Apr 2025). During the transitional period travellers "should already apply" but will not be refused entry if they meet the other conditions (19 Feb 2025). After that, a travel authorisation is required, with a limited exception for first-time visitors in the grace period. Exact dates will come with the official start announcement.

ETIAS and the EES

The official news item "Key differences ETIAS and the EES" says the Entry/Exit System (EES) registers travellers at the external border (facial image and fingerprints, replacing passport stamps), while ETIAS is applied for online beforehand and collects no biometric data. It says EES would become operational first and ETIAS would follow a few months later. The April 2025 item says the EES would start in October 2025. We do not report the current EES border status here: check the EES page on the same official site.

Scam warning

The official site is travel-europe.europa.eu/etias. The EU says there are "dozens of unofficial ETIAS websites"; some "illegally use the official EU logo" and some already collect personal data. The EU "does not issue authorisations nor licences to commercial intermediaries". Intermediaries may apply for you but add their own charges on top of the EUR 20. Because applications are not open yet, do not pay anyone for an ETIAS now. We do not sell ETIAS and do not process applications.

FAQ

Sources

Last checked: 2026-10-22.

How it works

  1. Read the guide, then check the official ETIAS site for any start-date announcement before you travel.
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  3. Join an event alone and chat with the group before you go.
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