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Is ETIAS live yet?
No. As of 17 August 2026, ETIAS hasn't launched, and the EU hasn't confirmed a new date. Originally expected by the end of 2026, then pushed towards 2027, it's now delayed indefinitely.
No application can currently be submitted anywhere. If a website asks you to pay for one today, it isn't genuine. We'll update this page the moment the EU confirms a new timeline.
ETIAS visa requirements have been widely discussed among UK travellers planning trips to Europe, but the system still hasn't launched. It remains delayed indefinitely, so no UK traveller needs to apply for anything yet. This guide covers what ETIAS is, who will need it, what it's likely to cost, which countries it will cover, and what to do while the launch date stays unconfirmed.
ETIAS, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, is a planned online travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers, including UK passport holders, visiting most European countries for short stays. It is not a visa. Once live, it will work like the US ESTA or Canada's eTA: a short online form, a small fee, and an automated security check before you travel. It won't replace your passport, and it won't require a trip to an embassy — everything will be done online.
Yes. ETIAS is still delayed, with no confirmed launch date.
According to Euronews reporting from 12 August 2026, the EU's own ETIAS website now states: “ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorizations are collected at this point.” Earlier target dates of late 2026 and then 2027 have both slipped without a new date being set. The EU has also confirmed it will “inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch,” so a new date, once confirmed, won't come as a last-minute surprise.
The EU agency that runs ETIAS, eu-LISA, is expected to present a revised rollout plan in September 2026. Some reporting suggests a late-2026 launch is still technically possible, though most current coverage treats 2027 as more likely. Because this is still under discussion, we're not printing a specific month here until the EU confirms one officially.
The delay follows ongoing rollout issues with the EU's related Entry/Exit System (EES), which ETIAS depends on. EES began operating on 12 October 2025 and reached full implementation on 10 April 2026, later than first planned. ETIAS runs on the same border infrastructure, so further EES stabilisation work has pushed ETIAS back too.
We'll update this section as soon as the EU confirms a new launch date.
Once ETIAS launches, most UK passport holders travelling to participating countries for short stays will need one. A few groups are exempt:
UK passport holders visiting for tourism, business, transit or family visits of up to 90 days will need ETIAS.
Irish and EU passport holders won't need it. They already have freedom of movement across the EU.
Trips to Ireland are exempt. It isn't in the Schengen area, and the UK–Ireland Common Travel Area means British citizens can keep travelling there without ETIAS.
Dual UK and EU citizens: travel on your EU passport, and you won't need ETIAS. Travel on your British passport, and you will, once it launches.
ETIAS will apply to 30 European countries: every Schengen area member (25 EU countries plus non-EU Schengen states Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), plus Cyprus, an EU member outside Schengen but still included in ETIAS's scope.
| Austria | Germany | Netherlands |
| Belgium | Greece | Norway |
| Bulgaria | Hungary | Poland |
| Croatia | Iceland | Portugal |
| Cyprus | Italy | Romania |
| Czech Republic | Latvia | Slovakia |
| Denmark | Liechtenstein | Slovenia |
| Estonia | Lithuania | Spain |
| Finland | Luxembourg | Sweden |
| France | Malta | Switzerland |
Ireland is not on this list. UK travellers visiting only Ireland won't need ETIAS, regardless of when the system eventually launches.
ETIAS is expected to cost €20 (about £17) for applicants aged 18 to 70, and it's free for anyone under 18 or over 70.
| Age at application | Fee | Notes |
| Under 18 | Free | Application still required once live |
| 18–70 | €20 (approx. £17) | Raised from an earlier proposed €7 |
| Over 70 | Free | Application still required once live |
The EU confirmed in 2026 that it would raise the fee from an originally proposed €7 to €20, nearly tripling it (see Euronews). The fee is set in euros by EU regulation, so it shouldn't change based on when ETIAS eventually launches, but it's worth checking the official EU site for the latest figure before you apply.
There's no ETIAS application to submit yet, because the system isn't live. Here's what the process is expected to look like once it launches:
Go to the official EU ETIAS website. The only place you'll ever need to apply is once live, at travel-europe.europa.eu.
Enter your passport and personal details. Your passport will need at least three months left before it expires.
Answer background and security questions. A short set of standard questions, similar to other travel authorisation schemes.
Pay the fee online. €20, unless you're exempt for being under 18 or over 70.
Wait for a decision. Most approvals are expected within minutes; some may take up to 30 days if extra checks are needed.
Travel with your approval linked to your passport. No physical document or stamp — it's checked electronically at the border.
The whole process is expected to take around ten minutes once it's live. Right now, no application can be submitted anywhere. Treat any site currently offering to process one for a fee as a scam.
ETIAS is expected to be valid for 3 years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first, covering multiple trips within that period.
Once approved, ETIAS is expected to cover multiple trips, but each stay is limited to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period, not a fixed calendar quarter. For example, 40 days in France in March plus 50 days across Spain and Italy in May would put you close to that 90-day limit, so plan your next trip carefully.
ETIAS and a Schengen visa aren't the same thing, and only one applies to UK travellers. For the fuller picture on visas, see our guide to Schengen visa requirements for UK citizens.
| Feature | ETIAS | Schengen Visa |
| Who needs it | UK & other visa-exempt nationals | Nationals who need a Schengen visa |
| How you apply | Fully online, no appointment | Embassy/consulate, usually with biometrics |
| Typical fee | €20 (free under 18 or over 70) | €90 for adults |
| Processing time | Minutes; up to 30 days if checks are needed | Normally 15 working days; up to 45 if complex |
In short: UK passport holders won't need a Schengen visa for short trips. They'll need ETIAS instead, once it launches.
Because ETIAS isn't live yet, any website charging you to “apply” for one right now isn't genuine. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has already identified more than 150 fake websites claiming to sell ETIAS applications, according to consumer guidance from MoneySavingExpert.
A few red flags to watch for:
Any site asking for payment before an official launch has been confirmed.
Domains that aren't the official EU site (once live: travel-europe.europa.eu). Commercial sites such as etias.com are useful for background reading, but they aren't the application portal.
Unsolicited emails or texts urging you to “apply now” or “renew” an ETIAS.
Apps in app stores claiming to offer ETIAS applications.
TravelApp will never ask you to pay us to process an ETIAS application. Once the system is live, you'll apply directly with the EU, and we'll link to the correct official site from here.
ETIAS isn't live yet, but that shouldn't stop you planning your next European trip. The current entry rules for UK travellers still apply. Browse our European flights and start planning your next getaway, and check back here for updates: we'll revise this page the moment the EU confirms a new ETIAS launch date.
Quick answers to common questions. Reach out if you need more help.
No. As of 17 August 2026, ETIAS hasn't launched, and the EU hasn't confirmed a new date. Earlier targets of late 2026 and then 2027 have both passed. UK travellers don't need to do anything differently — you can travel under the same rules that apply today.
Nobody knows for certain yet. The EU will announce a new date several months in advance, and eu-LISA is expected to present a revised timeline in September 2026. Late 2026 is still technically possible, but 2027 is now seen as more likely.
Once ETIAS launches, most UK passport holders travelling to participating countries for short stays will need one. Exceptions include people travelling on an Irish or EU passport, and anyone visiting only Ireland.
ETIAS is expected to cost €20 (about £17), covering multiple trips over three years. The EU raised this fee in 2026 from an earlier proposed €7.
Yes. Applicants under 18 or over 70 at the time of application won't pay the fee, though they'll still need to complete an application once the system is live.
No. Ireland isn't in the Schengen area and isn't covered by ETIAS. UK citizens can keep travelling there under the long-standing Common Travel Area arrangement, regardless of when ETIAS launches.
It depends on which passport you travel on. Travel on your EU passport and you won't need ETIAS. Travel on your British passport, and you will, once the system is live.
Your approval is expected to be linked electronically to the passport number you applied with. If that passport is lost, stolen or replaced, you'll need a new ETIAS linked to your new one.
The same principle applies: because ETIAS is tied to a specific passport, a new one, even a routine renewal, is expected to mean applying again, even if your current ETIAS hasn't expired.
ETIAS will cover 30 European countries, including every Schengen area member plus Cyprus. It doesn't cover Ireland, which sits outside the Schengen area.
Three years, or until your passport expires, whichever happens first, covering multiple trips within that period.
ETIAS is a lighter-touch, fully online authorisation for visa-exempt travellers like UK passport holders. A Schengen visa is a formal application, usually with an embassy appointment and biometrics, for nationals who need one to enter the Schengen area.
EES digitally records entries and exits at the border itself. ETIAS is a pre-travel authorisation you apply for before you go. EES is already operating; ETIAS is not yet live.
No, you can't. ETIAS isn't live yet, so there's no genuine application to submit anywhere. Any website offering to process one for a fee right now should be treated as a scam.
Only use the official EU site once ETIAS launches. Be wary of any site asking for payment before an official launch is confirmed, and ignore unsolicited emails or texts urging you to apply or renew.
Yes. ETIAS is a travel authorisation, not travel insurance, and won't cover medical costs, cancellations or lost luggage. You'll still need a separate policy for European trips, the same as today.
Not at the moment, since the system hasn't launched. Once it's live, we'll point you to the official EU application site from this page so you can apply safely without paying a third party.
No. ETIAS will be an electronic authorisation linked to your passport, not a replacement for it. You'll still need a valid passport with at least three months left before it expires.
