ETIAS: do UK travellers need it, what it costs and when it starts

ETIAS is a travel authorisation, not a visa: it does not change anyone's visa-free status. It is linked to one specific passport and collects no biometric data. The system is not yet in operation and no applications are being taken — but intermediaries and scam sites are already trading on it.

Do UK nationals need it

Yes. The EU's official page states it plainly: UK nationals will need a valid ETIAS authorisation for short stays — up to 90 days in any 180-day period — in any European country that requires it. There are thirty such countries: the 29 Schengen states plus Cyprus. Ireland is not among them.

Which residence permits exempt you

For readers living in Britain this is the section that matters, and it is full of traps.

Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries and their family members are exempt — but only if they hold a uniform-format residence permit issued by a country that requires ETIAS. Holders of an ordinary residence permit or residence card issued by such a country are exempt too.

Now the exceptions. If your host country under the Withdrawal Agreement is Ireland, there is no exemption: you will need ETIAS for all thirty countries. Irish residence documents do not exempt you either. A document issued by Cyprus lets you travel to Cyprus without ETIAS, but not to the other 29 countries.

A dual national of a listed country or of Ireland is exempt, but must travel on that passport. Holders of diplomatic and service passports, holders of a national long-stay visa, and nationals of Andorra, San Marino and Monaco are also exempt.

When it starts

There is no firm date. The EU site, updated in October 2026, repeats that the system is not operating, that no applications are collected, and that the start date will be announced several months in advance. The expected window, under the timeline endorsed by EU home affairs ministers, is the last quarter of 2026. The UK government puts it more loosely as “from Autumn 2026” and says no action is required from travellers yet.

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Two softer periods will follow the launch, lasting at least a year in total. First a transitional period of at least six months: travellers should apply, but nobody fulfilling the other entry conditions will be turned away for not having one. Then a grace period, also at least six months: ETIAS is required, and only those entering Europe for the first time since the transitional period ended may be admitted without it.

What it costs

The fee is €20, up from the original €7. Applicants under 18 and over 70 are exempt, as are family members of EU nationals who meet the conditions for that status. The fee is non-refundable.

How long it lasts

An authorisation is valid for three years or until the passport it is tied to expires, whichever comes first. A new passport means a new authorisation. There is no limit on the number of entries within the 90-days-in-180 rule. The passport itself must be valid for at least three months beyond the intended departure and be less than ten years old. Days spent in Cyprus are counted separately and do not come out of the 90.

How long a decision takes

Most applications are processed within minutes. If not, a decision follows within four days. That can extend by up to 14 days if documents are requested, and up to 30 days if you are invited to an interview. Apply before booking flights and accommodation.

How ETIAS differs from the EES

The EES, the Entry/Exit System, is already running: it started on 12 October 2025 and became fully operational on 10 April 2026. It is free and needs no advance application — fingerprints and a facial image are taken at the external border instead of a passport stamp. Travellers leaving Britain are checked before departure at St Pancras, Folkestone and the Port of Dover, and details can be pre-filled up to 72 hours ahead through the official “Travel to Europe” app.

ETIAS works the other way round: applied for online in advance, paid for, and with no biometrics.

Beware the scam sites

There is one official site, europa.eu/etias. The UK government is blunt: any website selling ETIAS at this time is doing so fraudulently. Intermediaries add their own mark-up on top of the €20.

What to do

Nothing, for now, except one thing: check your passport's expiry date and its date of issue. If you hold a residence permit from a listed country, check its format in advance. And pay nobody for an ETIAS until the system is actually running.