EU introduces new border crossing rules

ETIAS will become mandatory at the end of 2026: entry to the EU will be charged

From the end of 2026, a pre-authorisation system will be launched for travelling to the European Union ETIAS. It provides for the mandatory obtaining of a permit for entry and payment of a fee of 20 euros from a human being.

New rules apply to citizens 59 visa-free countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil and Ukraine, and apply to all travellers regardless of nationality.

What will change for travelling to the EU

To cross the border, you will need a special ETIAS permit, which is issued online with mandatory payment by bank card through the official website of the system.

Authorisation will be required for each person separately. It is not possible to submit one application per family or group - each traveller goes through the procedure individually.

The permit will be valid for up to three years or until the expiry of the passport. It will allow multiple short-term trips to approximately 30 European countries, including the Schengen countries, as well as Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania.

Payment and data verification

The application will be reviewed only after successful payment, and the fee is non-refundable under any circumstances.

In the event of a refusal or an error in personal data, such as a passport number or spelling of a name, the permit will be cancelled and the application procedure and payment will need to be repeated.

At the same time children under 18 and people over 70 are exempt from paying the fee, but still have to submit an online application. There are also exceptions for certain family members of EU citizens.

When the system will start working

ETIAS has been discussed in the European Union since 2020, but the launch has been postponed several times. Initially, the launch was planned for 2022-2024, and later - for 2025.

At present, the launch of the the last quarter of 2026 after the full implementation of the EES biometric entry and exit control system. The EU is to announce the exact start date a few months in advance.

Context.

ETIAS is not a visa, but a mechanism for pre-screening travellers from visa-free countries. Similar systems already operate in the US, Canada and a number of other countries and are used to strengthen border security and control migration risks.