ProofstayGuide · Travelling in Europe
ETIAS: the EU travel authorisation
Quick answer
ETIAS is an online travel authorisation that visa-free visitors, including British, American, Canadian and Australian travellers, will need before visiting 30 European countries. It will cost EUR 20 and last three years. It is not running yet: as of 25 Oct 2026 the EU takes no applications and has not set a start date. It doesn't change the 90/180 rule.
The basics
What ETIAS is, and what it isn't
- Cost: EUR 20 on the official website or app. Travellers under 18 or over 70 don't pay.[1]
- Validity: three years, or until your passport expires if sooner. It is linked to the passport you apply with: a new passport needs a new ETIAS.[2]
- Processing: most applications are decided within minutes. Some take up to four days, or longer if the authorities ask for more information or an interview, so apply well before you travel.[2]
- Use: as many trips as you like while it is valid, each for a short stay.
It is not a visa, and it doesn't add days
ETIAS is a pre-travel check, not permission to live or work. With it you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, exactly as now. A border guard still checks your passport and can refuse entry.[2] The days you spend are recorded at the border by the Entry/Exit System, which counts them automatically.
When does it start?
The EU's official ETIAS site says the system is not in operation and that the start date will be announced several months before launch.[3]
Beware of look-alike sites
No one can sell you an ETIAS today. When it opens, apply only on the official site (travel-europe.europa.eu) or the official app. Unofficial sites may charge more than the EUR 20 fee for the same form.
Who needs it
Visa-free visitors to 30 countries
You will need an ETIAS if you are a national of a visa-exempt country, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan or Brazil, and you visit any of these countries for a short stay:[4]
Austria · Belgium · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus · Czechia · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Italy · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Malta · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland
That is the 29 Schengen countries plus Cyprus. Ireland doesn't require ETIAS. Days in Cyprus are counted separately from your Schengen 90/180.[2]
You won't need it if you
- are an EU citizen, or a national of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland;
- hold a residence permit or residence card from one of the ETIAS countries, or a long-stay visa;
- need a Schengen visa anyway (visa-required nationalities apply for a visa, not ETIAS).[4]
Sources
- European Commission, ETIAS: what you need to apply (fee and exemptions). Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- European Commission, What is ETIAS. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- European Commission, ETIAS official website. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- European Commission, ETIAS: who should apply. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
ETIAS gets you in. The 90 days still apply.
Know your days before the border does.
Proofstay records the country you are in every day on your iPhone, counts your Schengen days the way the EU does, and shows your latest exit date before you book. Each record is proofed the moment it is made. Free to record.
See how Proofstay works →FAQ
ETIAS questions
Do I need ETIAS now?
No. As of 25 October 2026 ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being taken. The EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. Sites that ask you to pay for ETIAS today are not the official service.
How much will ETIAS cost?
EUR 20 on the official ETIAS website or app. Some travellers are exempt from the fee, including those under 18 or over 70.
How long is ETIAS valid?
Three years, or until the passport you applied with expires, whichever comes first. A new passport needs a new ETIAS.
Does ETIAS let me stay longer than 90 days?
No. ETIAS allows short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, the same rule as today. Stays in Cyprus are counted separately because it isn't in the Schengen area.
Do British citizens need ETIAS?
Yes, once it starts, for short stays in the 30 ETIAS countries. UK nationals who live in the EU with a residence document don't need it, and neither do holders of a long-stay visa.
What is the difference between ETIAS and EES?
ETIAS is a permission you apply for online before you travel. The EES is the digital record of your entries and exits made at the border, with your fingerprints and face photo. The EES has been fully running since 10 April 2026.