ETIAS

ETIAS delayed again: do you need it for Europe in 2027?

For anyone with a visa-free passport planning a trip to Europe next year: what the latest delay means, how to tell in six questions whether ETIAS will apply to you, and what to do while there is still no date.

By the Time to Travel team6 min readChecked 26 Oct 2026 · 13 sources

The short version

Not yet, and probably not for most of 2027. As of 26 October 2026, ETIAS has no start date and the EU is not taking applications. Once it starts, there are at least six months in which nobody is refused entry for lacking it, then at least six more in which a first visit is still let through. Book your 2027 trip as normal, and pay nobody for an "ETIAS" today.

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On this page

A dark blue United States passport lying on a road map of North America

ETIAS is a €20 online travel authorisation, not a visa, for people who can already visit Europe without one. It covers 30 countries: the 29 in the Schengen area plus Cyprus. Nationals of 59 visa-free countries and territories will need it, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil and Ukraine. That is why the answer for 2027 depends less on your passport than on the calendar.

Do you need ETIAS for a 2027 trip?

Work down the questions. A "yes" stops at that question's answer box; a "no" takes you to the next question.

01Do you hold a passport from an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland or Ireland, or from Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or the Vatican?
Yes: no ETIASTravel on that passport and you never need ETIAS, even if you hold a second nationality.
No
02Does your nationality need a visa for the Schengen area? Only 59 countries and territories do not.
Yes: no ETIASYou need a Schengen visa instead. Visa holders never need ETIAS on top.
No
03Do you hold a residence permit from one of the 30 countries (Cyprus only counts for Cyprus) or a long-stay visa?
Yes: no ETIASYou are exempt. Show the permit or visa at the border.
No
04Is the ETIAS start date still unannounced? As of 26 October 2026: yes.
Yes: nothing to do yetNo application exists. The EU says it will give the date several months ahead.
No
05Does your trip fall in the first six months (at least) after launch, the transitional period?
Yes: apply if you canYou should apply, but you will not be refused entry without ETIAS if you meet the other entry rules.
No
06Is this your first entry since the transitional period ended? The grace period lasts at least six more months.
Yes: one passYou are let in once without ETIAS. Apply before your next trip.
No
ETIAS requiredYou need a valid ETIAS before you board. Airlines, coach and ferry operators check it, and border guards can refuse entry without it.

Rules from the official ETIAS website (Who should apply; ETIAS timeline explained) and the European Commission, checked 26 October 2026.

How many times has ETIAS been delayed?

Four target dates have come and gone. Travel Market Report lists November 2023 as the first, followed by 2024. In October 2024 the official ETIAS site was still saying the first half of 2025. On 5 March 2025, EU home affairs ministers endorsed a new timeline: the Entry/Exit System (EES) in October 2025, ETIAS in the last quarter of 2026.

EES did start, but its rollout ran into long queues and a summer of partial checks. In July 2026 the Financial Times reported that the EU was preparing to push ETIAS back to 2027, and the "last quarter of 2026" line disappeared from the official site. On 26 October 2026 the official site reads: "ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point." Reports point to 2027, but no new date has been published. Our EES guide covers the border system that has to settle first.

What has to happen before anyone is turned away

Four steps, in this order, each one set by the EU:

An announcement of the start date, "several months prior to its launch".
Launch day. Applications open on the official website and app.
A transitional period of at least six months. You should apply, but travellers without ETIAS are not refused entry if they meet the other conditions.
A grace period of at least six months. ETIAS is required, except for travellers on their first entry since the transition ended.

Our reading of what that means for 2027: for ETIAS to be strictly required on a 2027 trip, it would have to launch by about the end of June 2027, with the date announced months before. Even then, your first trip after the transition would still be covered by the grace period. Nothing announced so far points to that.

A burgundy Dutch passport tucked under the handle of a blue hard-shell suitcase

Who never needs ETIAS?

Besides citizens of the 30 countries, Ireland and the European microstates, the official list of exemptions includes:

People with a residence permit or residence card from one of the 30 countries or Ireland, including the Withdrawal Agreement documents many British residents hold. A Cypriot permit only covers Cyprus, and an Irish one does not exempt you from ETIAS.
Holders of a Schengen visa or a national long-stay visa.
Holders of diplomatic, service or special passports.
Beneficiaries of temporary protection, such as many people displaced from Ukraine.

Dual nationals must enter on their European passport. Children are not exempt: every traveller needs their own ETIAS, but under-18s and over-70s pay no fee.

ETIAS against the UK ETA, US ESTA and Canada's eTA

If your trip combines Europe with the UK, the US or Canada, these permits matter too.

Online travel authorisations for visa-free visitors, October 2026
Permit	Fee	Validity	Pros	Cons
EU ETIAS	€20; free under 18 and over 70	3 years or until the passport expires	One permit for 30 countries; most decisions within minutes	Not running; no start date; copycat sites already charging
UK ETA	£20 since 8 April 2026	2 years or until the passport expires	Running now; visits of up to 6 months	EU citizens need it too; fee has risen twice since 2025
US ESTA	$40 since 30 September 2025	2 years or until the passport expires	Running now; multiple visits	Highest fee of the four
Canada eTA	CAD 7	Up to 5 years or until the passport expires	Cheapest and longest-lasting; most approved within minutes	One person per application and payment

Which ones you need: you do not choose between them; the destination decides. A 2027 trip to Europe alone needs nothing yet. Add London and you need the UK ETA, whatever your nationality outside the UK and Ireland. Add the US on a Visa Waiver passport and you need ESTA. ETIAS joins the list only once the EU sets its date.

No ETIAS to apply for yet, so a 2027 Europe trip starts with the flight.

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Three things to do now

A hand holding a bank card next to an open silver laptop while the other hand types

Do not pay anyone for ETIAS. The EU takes no applications today, and when it does, the only places to apply will be the official website and the official app. Sites that "pre-register" you collect your passport data and a fee for nothing.
Check your passport, not ETIAS. The Schengen entry rules already ask for a passport issued within the last 10 years and valid for at least three months after you leave. ETIAS will use the same document, and a new passport will need a new application. Our passport validity guide shows how to check both dates.
Know your days. ETIAS does not change how long you may stay: up to 90 days in any 180-day period, now counted by EES. Our 90/180 rule guide shows how to count them.

Booking early still pays for flights and trains; our guide to when to book a trip to Europe has the windows.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply for ETIAS now?

No. As of 26 October 2026 the official EU site says ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are collected. A website that takes your passport details and a fee today is not the EU.

Can I be refused entry in 2027 for not having ETIAS?

Only if ETIAS launches early enough in 2027 for its transitional period of at least six months to end before your trip, and even then a first entry after the transition is allowed during the grace period. With no start date announced, that is unlikely for most 2027 trips.

How much will ETIAS cost?

€20 per person. Applicants under 18 or over 70 pay nothing, and so do family members of EU citizens who qualify for family member status.

I am British and live in Spain. Do I need ETIAS?

Not if you hold a Withdrawal Agreement residence document or another residence permit from one of the 30 ETIAS countries. A Cypriot document only covers travel to Cyprus, and one issued by Ireland does not exempt you.

Do I need a new ETIAS if I renew my passport?

Yes. ETIAS is linked to one passport and lasts three years or until that passport expires, whichever comes first. A new passport needs a new application.

Where the figures come from

Checked on 26 October 2026. Official sources first; secondary sources are labelled.