Starting from the fourth quarter of next year, some tourists may need to pay more fees to enter certain parts of Europe. The European Commission recently announced a proposal to increase the fee for the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) to almost three times the original plan.
ETIAS travel authorization is a visa waiver requirement for non-EU nationals traveling to the EU, and travelers need to apply online in advance.
Although the EU approved the ETIAS travel authorization system as early as 2018, the specific implementation date has been delayed multiple times and has not been enforced until now. The EU currently sets the implementation of ETIAS for the fourth quarter of 2026.
The original fee for ETIAS was set at 7 euros (8 US dollars), but the European Commission stated that considering the inflation since 2018 and related additional operational costs, they are proposing to significantly raise the fee to 20 euros (23 US dollars).
The European Commission mentioned that the approved ETIAS will be valid for three years. The new fee standard will be comparable to the cost of the UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) and the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Currently, the fee for UK ETA is 16 pounds (21.7 US dollars), and the fee for US ESTA is 21 US dollars.
According to a statement released by the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament will have a two-month review period for the proposed adjustment of ETIAS fees.
Once ETIAS is implemented, non-EU nationals traveling visa-free to the EU will be required to fill out an online application before traveling, providing personal information as per ETIAS requirements such as name, date of birth, and travel document number. The application will be processed automatically, and travelers will receive the result within minutes.
If the ETIAS application is not approved, travelers will not be allowed to board any mode of transportation, whether it be a plane, boat, or tour bus.
Applicants under 18 or over 70 years old do not need to pay the application fee. In addition, family members of EU citizens and family members of non-EU citizens who have the right to free movement within the EU will also be exempt from paying the application fee.
ETIAS will provide a quick online travel authorization for visa-free nationals of non-EU countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, the US, and the UK. The operation of ETIAS is similar to the US ESTA program. The ETIAS system will verify travelers’ security credentials and charge fees for those traveling for purposes such as business, tourism, medical, or transit.