Uk Travelers Join The New Etias Era For Spain Italy Greece And Top European Destinations With A Must Know Entry Fee Starting In 2026: Here’s What You Should Know Now

Wednesday, July 23, 2025

As a UK national nan opportunity to recreation to Europe has ever been comparatively easy, prime up your passport, book your formation and distant you go. But nan recreation world has changed dramatically since nan U.K.enc aft nan U.K.’s exit from nan European Union. The complaint would beryllium levied connected UK passport holders from precocious 2026 earlier travelling successful 30 European countries nether nan caller European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This caller norm will impact millions of British nationals, truthful it’s important to find retired what is changing, what ETIAS is, and really to get fresh for its arrival.

What is ETIAS?

What is ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)? ETIAS is simply a marque caller introduction request for citizens of eligible countries, including nan UK, who wish to recreation to nan Schengen Area aliases anyplace other successful nan EU. The strategy will fortify information for each EU citizens, including those who are not portion of nan Schengen area, by efficaciously protecting their borders by enabling identifying threats earlier they scope their separator from abroad.

The thought for ETIAS isn’t wholly novel, though — it follows systems for akin recreation approvals for illustration nan U.S.‘s Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) that requires travelers to get support earlier coming to nan U.S. Unlike a normal visa, ETIAS is an automated recreation licence and permits short-term stays, mostly up to 90 days successful immoderate 180 days, successful nan Schengen Area and prime different EU nations. Which intends that visitors and business travelers from nan UK visiting immoderate of these countries will now person to get an ETIAS authorization earlier traveling.

Why Was ETIAS Introduced?

The preamble of ETIAS is nan consequence of a changing governmental scenery successful Europe. After Brexit, nan UK’s departure from nan EU meant that nan long-standing visa-free recreation arrangements for UK citizens nary longer applied. The European Union has now implemented nan ETIAS strategy to modulate separator introduction much effectively, amended security, and streamline nan recreation process.

The ETIAS strategy is portion of a broader inaugural to heighten separator information wrong nan Schengen Area and guarantee that travelers meet circumstantial information and information criteria earlier entering EU territories. The move intends to fortify nan EU’s outer borders while enabling greater convenience for travelers. By collecting information from travelers earlier they scope nan border, EU authorities tin guarantee that each individuals entering nan region are decently vetted and airs nary information threat.

Which Countries Will Require ETIAS?

Under nan caller regulations, UK passport holders will request to use for ETIAS authorization earlier entering immoderate of nan pursuing 30 European countries:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus (once it joins nan Schengen Area)
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

This database represents some Schengen Area countries and immoderate EU personnel states that are not portion of nan Schengen Zone, specified arsenic Ireland and Romania. However, arsenic of nan announcement, Cyprus will require ETIAS authorization erstwhile it afloat integrates into nan Schengen Area.

The €20 Fee

To entree nan ETIAS system, travelers will request to salary a €20 fee. This interest was initially expected to beryllium overmuch little but has since been accrued successful bid to screen nan costs associated pinch implementing and maintaining nan information system. The interest is simply a one-time payment, valid for 3 years, aliases until nan traveler’s passport expires. The integer recreation authorization will beryllium automatically linked to nan passport utilized to apply.

While this further costs whitethorn look insignificant, it’s important to statement that predominant travelers whitethorn find it adding up, peculiarly for families. The interest is not refundable, moreover if a traveler’s exertion is denied. Children nether 18 years of age, arsenic good arsenic individuals complete 70, will beryllium exempt from nan fee, making this alteration a small easier for families and elder travelers.

Application Process

The ETIAS exertion process is designed to beryllium arsenic convenient arsenic possible. It will beryllium wholly online, and applicants will request to capable retired a elemental shape providing their individual details, recreation itinerary, and immoderate basal accusation regarding their wellness and information history. The strategy will cheque nan exertion against various databases to guarantee nan traveler does not airs immoderate information risk.

Most applications will beryllium processed quickly, pinch astir travelers receiving their ETIAS support wrong minutes. However, for much analyzable cases, specified arsenic applicants pinch criminal records aliases different recreation histories, it whitethorn return up to 96 hours for nan strategy to process nan application. It’s recommended to use for ETIAS astatine slightest a fewer days earlier traveling, conscionable successful lawsuit location are immoderate delays.

Once approved, ETIAS is valid for 3 years aliases until nan passport expires. This intends that erstwhile you’ve received approval, you won’t request to use again for consequent trips, arsenic agelong arsenic they are wrong nan three-year model and your passport remains valid.

Exemptions to nan ETIAS Requirement

While ETIAS will use to astir UK citizens, location are a fewer exemptions:

• Children nether 18 do not request to use for ETIAS.
• Senior citizens complete nan property of 70 will beryllium exempt.
• Holders of valid residence permits aliases visas issued by Schengen countries will not request to use for ETIAS.
• Diplomatic and work passport holders will besides beryllium exempt.

These exemptions are intended to simplify recreation for circumstantial groups and guarantee that those pinch typical recreation position aliases young children are not burdened by unnecessary requirements.

Preparing for nan Change

For UK travelers, nan preamble of ETIAS will beryllium a awesome change. While nan exertion process is reasonably elemental and nan interest is comparatively low, nan added measurement of obtaining authorization earlier recreation could perchance hold aliases disrupt immoderate recreation plans, particularly for those utilized to nan easiness of post-Brexit travel.

It’s besides important for travelers to beryllium alert that ETIAS will only let for short-term stays of up to 90 days successful a 180-day period. For anyone readying longer stays, specified arsenic those moving aliases studying abroad, different visa options whitethorn beryllium necessary.

Additionally, travelers should guarantee that their passports are valid for astatine slightest 3 months beyond their planned departure from nan EU, arsenic this is simply a modular request for world recreation to galore European countries.

A Broader Shift successful Border Security

The preamble of ETIAS is portion of a broader inclination crossed Europe to tighten separator security. Travelers should besides beryllium alert of nan Entry/Exit System (EES), which is group to motorboat successful 2025. This strategy will cod biometric data, specified arsenic fingerprints and facial images, for each non-EU travelers entering nan Schengen Area. While this strategy is designed to heighten security, it whitethorn origin flimsy delays astatine nan separator arsenic authorities instrumentality nan caller checks.

The EES will complement ETIAS by ensuring that travelers entering Europe are decently vetted and that their movements wrong nan Schengen Area are tracked for information purposes. These measures purpose to heighten some traveler information and nan wide acquisition of crossing borders.

Final Thoughts:

As a UK visitant nan ETIAS whitethorn look to beryllium an other headache, but it is simply a portion of nan process of accommodation to a post-Brexit world, wherever of people location will beryllium rethinking of separator information and management. Although nan €20 costs and nan added furniture of applying for ETIAS authorization whitethorn return immoderate getting utilized to, nan strategy is expected to amended recreation information and streamlining nan process.

Understanding and pursuing nan process, applying up of clip and having your passport meet nan criteria are each cardinal ways to guarantee that you tin still recreation passim Europe hassle free. With nan caller rules seemingly owed to travel into play successful precocious 2026, nan clip is now to fresh yourself for these changes, and commencement plotting to return advantage of them successful your early travels.