Question 1

Do I need ETIAS to travel to Europe right now?

Accepted Answer

No. ETIAS is not live as of mid-2026, so you cannot apply and it is not required for a trip you take now. It is scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026, and the EU has said the exact date will be announced later in the year. The system that affects you today is EES, the biometric border check.

Question 2

How much does ETIAS cost, and are kids exempt?

Accepted Answer

The fee is €20 for a single authorization valid up to 3 years or until your passport expires. Travelers under 18 and over 70 are exempt from the fee, but they still need to hold an ETIAS authorization to enter, so you apply for every family member either way.

Question 3

What's the difference between ETIAS and EES?

Accepted Answer

ETIAS is an online authorization you get before your trip. EES (the Entry/Exit System) is the biometric check that happens at the border on arrival, recording your entry and exit with a facial image and fingerprints. EES is free, already fully operational since 10 April 2026, and needs no advance application; ETIAS is a separate, upcoming pre-travel step.

Question 4

Which countries require ETIAS?

Accepted Answer

ETIAS will cover 30 European countries — the Schengen area plus Cyprus. Ireland (in the EU but outside Schengen) and the United Kingdom are not part of ETIAS and run their own entry rules, so this checker flags them separately.

Question 5

How can I tell an official ETIAS site from a scam?

Accepted Answer

The only official ETIAS portal is travel-europe.europa.eu, and it is not open yet. Because applications aren't live, no legitimate site can take an ETIAS payment right now, so any site charging you today is a red flag. When it opens, the real fee is €20, paid once, on that EU domain.

Do I need ETIAS
to visit Europe?

What passport are you traveling on?

How this checker works

ETIAS questions families ask