How applying for ETIAS will work
Once ETIAS is in operation, you will apply online on the official EU website or the official app, in a few minutes, and pay €20. Most answers are expected within minutes; a minority of files can take up to 96 hours, and in rare cases up to 30 more days.
ETIAS is not in operation yet and the EU has not announced a start date (checked on 9 November 2026). Nobody can apply or pay for ETIAS today.
Follow the ETIAS timeline →ETIAS is not in operation. The steps below describe how the system is designed to work, according to the EU. No application can be submitted today, on any website.
Where to apply
On the official EU website, travel-europe.europa.eu/etias, or the official ETIAS mobile app published by the EU. These are the only official channels. Intermediaries may apply on your behalf, but they go through the same official system and may add their own fee.
What you will need
- A passport from a visa-exempt country, valid for at least three months after your planned departure from Europe. Use the passport you will travel with: the authorisation is linked to it.
- An email address, which is where the decision is sent.
- A bank card to pay the fee (unless you are exempt).
- About ten minutes.
What the form asks
Based on the ETIAS Regulation, the form covers:
- your identity: name, date and place of birth, nationality, parents’ first names;
- your passport details;
- your home address, email and phone number;
- your level of education and current occupation;
- the first country you intend to visit;
- a few background questions: serious criminal convictions in the last ten years (twenty for terrorist offences), stays in war or conflict zones in the last ten years, and any previous decision ordering you to leave an EU country.
Answer exactly as in your passport. A typo in the passport number is easy to make and costly: an authorisation issued for the wrong number will not be found when you check in.
How long it takes
| Situation | Expected time |
|---|---|
| Automatic processing, no match in the databases | A few minutes |
| Manual check by a national ETIAS unit | Up to 96 hours |
| Request for additional information or documents, or an interview | Up to 30 additional days |
The answer arrives by email. It either grants the authorisation, refuses it with the reasons and how to appeal, or asks for more information.
When to apply
Do not wait until the day before departure. Given the times above, applying a few weeks before departure leaves room for a manual check. The 3-year validity starts on the day the authorisation is issued.
After approval
Nothing to print. The airline, ferry or coach company checks electronically that you have a valid ETIAS before boarding. At the border, the guard can see it too, but the decision to let you in remains theirs. Keep in mind that a valid ETIAS does not change the 90/180-day limit.
If your application is refused, see what to do if ETIAS is refused. For children, dual nationals, transit or a new passport, see special cases.
Sources
- OfficialETIAS – frequently asked questions — European Union
- OfficialETIAS – official website — European Union
- OfficialRegulation (EU) 2018/1240 establishing ETIAS — EUR-Lex
- Official7 myths and facts about ETIAS — EU Delegation to Georgia (EEAS)
Change history
- — Page rewritten for the new version of the site.