Commission puts forward an adjustment to the fee for a travel authorization under the European Travel Information and Authorization System

The Commission has put forward an adjustment to the fee to obtain a travel authorisation under the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt non-EU nationals travelling to the EU. ETIAS is part of the new IT architecture of the EU that aims to strengthen security within our Union, while facilitating travelling of non-EU nationals. 

The ETIAS Regulation, adopted in 2018, had established a fee of €7. Taking into account the rise in inflation since 2018 and additional operational costs related e.g. to new technical features integrated into the system, the fee will be adjusted to €20 per application, valid for a period of three years. It will also bring the cost for a travel authorization to the EU in line with similar travel authorisation programmes such as the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA).

The adjustment of the fee will now undergo the two-month review period of the Council and the European Parliament (renewable once). It will enter into effect as soon as ETIAS is operational, which is expected for the last quarter of 2026. Applicants who are under 18 or over 70 years of age at the time of application are exempt from this fee. Also exempt are family members of EU citizens and family members of non-EU nationals who have the right to move freely throughout the European Union.

Once ETIAS is operational, non-EU nationals who can travel to the EU without a visa will have to fill out an online application before their trip, providing personal information such as their names, date of birth and travel document number, in line with the ETIAS regulation. The application will be processed automatically, and the traveller will receive a decision within minutes.

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