Etias visa: UK travellers pay £17 to enter EU - how to apply and who is exempt?

The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) officially launched on 12 October 2025 — marking a major change for how British travellers enter the Schengen Area.

Instead of passport stamps, travellers are now being fingerprinted and photographed, with biometric details stored digitally.

The phased rollout is now complete — from 10 April 2026, the EES is fully operational at all Schengen border crossings, meaning all UK travellers will be processed through the biometric system.

There will also be a visa waiver programme (the Etias) later in 2026. It will cost €20 (approximately £17) for most UK travellers. The project has been besieged by delays and has now been set back to the last quarter of 2026, according to the EU.

What is the EES?

Now fully operational from 10 April 2026, the EES replaces the manual passport stamping system for UK travellers entering the Schengen Area at all border crossing points.

French authorities suspended four "admissibility" questions — covering accommodation details, return tickets, funds, and medical insurance — during the six-month phased rollout. These are now expected to be enforced from April 2026 as the system goes fully live. Travellers should have this information ready at the border.

Those travelling through Dover, Folkestone or St Pancras are being asked to use electronic kiosks to enter their details and biometric data. From 10 April 2026, all passengers are required to be processed through EES — the old passport-stamping process has now ended across all Schengen borders.

What is an Etias?

The EU rules are part of new border checks being brought in to keep a closer eye on who is moving into the Schengen region – the area of Europe where people can move across borders freely without having their passport checked.

Britons and other non-EU citizens will need the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias) to cross into the Schengen, which includes most EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

Ireland and Cyprus are exempt from the rules as they are not in the Schengen region. Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area in January 2025, so Etias will apply to travel there too. Cyprus remains outside Schengen.

The passes are similar to the US ESTA and will last three years or until your passport expires.

If your passport expires before the three years, a new Etias will be required.

Etias has been delayed again and is now scheduled for launch in the last quarter of 2026, once the EES rollout is complete.

Etias UK application

The EU claims travellers will be able to apply for an Etias in 10 minutes with 95% of cases being approved within minutes.

However, some could take up to 72 hours, or in exceptional circumstances, up to four weeks.

No action is required for Etias yet. Travellers should not attempt to apply until the EU confirms an official launch date, expected in the last quarter of 2026.

Travellers will be able to apply for an Etias online or via an app. They will need to input their passport information as well as background information about criminal and medical records.

Once secured the Etias will be authorised for three years or until your passport expires.

The Etias will cost €20 (approximately £17) — nearly three times the originally proposed price of €7. Adults aged 18–70 must pay this fee; under 18s and over 70s will receive their Etias free of charge.

If your Etias application is refused you will be allowed to appeal. But critics have raised concerns about the lack of transparency over refusals.

Chris Jones of Statewatch, which monitors civil liberties in the EU, told the: "As well as having to hand over all this information, travellers will have to deal with longer waiting times at borders and will face the risk of being flagged as a 'risk' by an algorithm.

"EU officials are currently devising new ‘screening rules’ that will be used to decide who is a security, immigration or health risk.

"These rules will reinforce the existing racist and discriminatory profiling that takes place at borders. It is urgent people know their rights so that they can challenge unjust decisions or treatment."

Etias visa - who is exempt?

Most UK citizens will require an Etias to travel to the EU from the last quarter of 2026.

Only adults aged 18–70 will need to pay the €20 (approximately £17) fee.

Under 18s and over 70s will still require an Etias but will receive it free of charge.

An Etias will be required for people in the UK visiting European countries within the Schengen region, but not for travel to Ireland or Cyprus which are not in the free movement area. Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area in January 2025 and are now included. Cyprus remains outside Schengen and is therefore exempt.

There are about 60 other countries also requiring the Etias, including the US, Australia, Singapore, UAE and Ukraine.

Which countries require Etias?

The full list of countries requiring the Etias are:

Cyprus is not currently in the Schengen Area and does not require an Etias. Bulgaria and Romania joined Schengen in January 2025 and should be added to the main list above.

For official information, travellers can visit the EU’s EES information portal or the European Commission’s dedicated EES page.

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