The new travel system will start operating in the last quarter of 2026
14:01, 03 Jan 2026Updated 14:13, 03 Jan 2026
A generic stock image of a plane (Image: PA)
Anyone travelling to Europe this year should be aware of the latest travel guidance and updates. The new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be rolled out towards the end of the year.
For decades, British passport holders could travel freely across Europe without any prior approval. But since Brexit, the UK is no longer part of the European Union (EU), which means new rules apply. UK nationals will need to get an ETIAS travel authorisation before going to Europe.
The entry system will impact people heading to 30 EU countries, including Spain, Greece and Portugal. Since Ireland is part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) with the UK, people can still visit Ireland without an ETIAS.
Your ETIAS travel authorisation is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. With a valid ETIAS, you can stay in an EU country for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
According to the official European Union website, the new travel system will start operating in the last quarter of 2026. The European Union will share the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch
Unlike a visa, the ETIAS is a digital authorisation that is linked to your passport and is approved online before you travel. Not everyone travelling from the UK to Europe will need an ETIAS. This depends on factors such as your residency status, type of passport, or the country you are visiting.
If you hold both a British and an EU passport, you can use your EU passport to enter a country without an ETIAS. Long-term residents in Schengen countries do not need it when traveling within the EU. If you have a visa for long stays in an EU country, you do not need an ETIAS for that country.
For anyone who is eligible, your passport must meet certain validity rules before you can apply for an ETIAS. It must be valid for at least three months after your departure date from the Schengen Zone. Passports older than 10 years may not be accepted.
An ETIAS will cost 20 Euros for most people. However, applicants who are under 18 or above 70 years of age are exempt from this payment. Also exempt are family members of EU citizens or of non-EU nationals who have the right to move freely throughout the European Union.
According to the official ETIAS website: “When you apply, the 20 euro application fee covers the processing of your data, identity verification, and security checks.
“The fee applies individually to every applicant, there are no family or group applications. Even if you are traveling together, each person must complete their own ETIAS application and pay separately.”
Each traveller must apply individually through the official ETIAS website and provide personal details such as their passport number to complete the process..
These are the 30 European countries that will require visa-exempt travellers to have an ETIAS travel authorisation:
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland