The European Union has postponed the launch of its travel permit, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), with no new date set. The official European Union ETIAS website confirms the system is not currently operational and is not accepting applications.
ETIAS was supposed to become required for British passport holders travelling to 30 European countries in late 2026. UK citizens and people from 58 other visa-exempt countries would have needed to get travel authorisation before visiting EU countries such as France, Spain, and Portugal.
What is ETIAS?
ETIAS is a new electronic travel authorisation system designed by the European Union for visa-free visitors from countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada travelling to the Schengen area of Europe. It is not actually a visa but a digital pre-screening system similar to the United States ESTA or the UK ETA. It is designed to track security risks and health threats before travellers arrive at the border.
When ETIAS launches, travellers will fill out an online form before their trip. They will provide passport details, travel plans, and answer basic security questions. The application will be processed automatically and usually approved within minutes, with the authorisation linked to their passport.
Fee increase and current status
With reports of long delays and missed flights, the ETIAS application looked like another challenge for British holidaymakers. This is especially true since the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) is already causing delays in many popular destinations.
When ETIAS was first announced in 2018, the fee was set at €7, a little over £6. Last year, the EU said the fee would rise to €20, about £17.37, almost three times higher. The EU had said all British passport holders would need an ETIAS, but children and seniors do not have to pay the fee. Only visitors aged 18 to 70 will need to pay. For a couple travelling together, this means an extra €40 for their trip.
A statement on the European Commission website previously stated: "The ETIAS fee has been set at EUR 20 instead of the previous EUR 7. The new fee takes into account the rise in inflation since 2018 and additional operational costs related to new technical features integrated into the system. It also brings the cost of an ETIAS travel authorisation in line with similar travel authorisation programmes around the globe."
However, travellers from visa-exempt countries, including the UK, US, Canada, and Australia, do not need to apply or pay anything for trips right now. The EU has removed its late-2026 target date from the official website and says it will announce the start date several months before the system begins.
