European Union — ETIAS starts in Q4 2026
Not in force yet — our data still shows the old rule until it is officially published.
Visa-exempt travellers to 30 European countries — the 29 Schengen states plus Cyprus — will need an approved ETIAS before departure. Target launch is Q4 2026, followed by roughly six months of transition. It will cost €20 and stay valid 3 years, or until the passport expires. NOT in force yet: no applications are being accepted, and any site taking money for an ETIAS today is fraudulent. UPDATE 3 August 2026: eu-LISA, the EU agency building the system, has concluded internally that a 2026 launch is no longer feasible, and reporting in July 2026 points to April 2027 as the earliest realistic date. The EU has not published a new official date, so the Q4 2026 target above is what the Commission still lists — treat it as unlikely, not as cancelled.