European Union ETIAS Visa Waiver Program Launching Late 2026

For years, we’ve known that the European Union plans to require foreign nationals to apply for a travel authorization. The implementation of this has been delayed several times already. We now have an updated timeline for this launching, and have also learned that the fee will be nearly triple as much as was initially promised.

Will Americans need a visa to visit European Union?

Currently, travelers from 60+ countries (including the United States) can visit the European Union without obtaining a visa or any travel authorization prior to travel. That will be changing. As of the fourth quarter of 2026 (no exact date has been announced), up to 1.4 billion people from 60+ visa waiver countries will need to obtain a travel authorization prior to traveling to the European Union.

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US citizens (among others) will be required to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) travel authorization. This is similar to the electronic travel authorization that the United States requires for visitors from many countries.

Now, don’t get too worried. You’re not going to have to go to a consulate, or jump through any super complicated hoops. Rather, here are the basics of the requirements:

• The ETIAS will cost €20 (~$23), and that can be paid via the ETIAS website or app; when this was first announced, the fee was supposed to be €7, so talk about major inflation!
• The ETIAS will be valid for multiple entries over three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first
• The ETIAS will allow you to stay in the European Union for up to 90 days in any 180 day period
• The ETIAS will typically be processed within minutes, though in some cases the application may take longer to process; when there’s a delay, it will typically be processed within four days, but sometimes it will take up to 14 days
• Once your ETIAS application is approved, you’ll receive a confirmation number that you should hold onto, but you shouldn’t have to show it at the border, since it’s electronically linked to your passport info

What’s the purpose of this new ETIAS requirement? The reason for this change is to increase security, and to be able to screen travelers long before they actually travel to the Europe Union. At the same time, I imagine there’s some desire for reciprocity here, and I also imagine the government thinks this will generate extra revenue, and doesn’t mind that. 😉

It’s worth noting that this requirement was first proposed in 2017, and was initially supposed to be implemented as of 2021. As you might expect, coronavirus delayed the timeline of that being implemented. Since then, we’ve seen several additional delays beyond that.

Separately, the European Union will introduce a new Entry/Exit System (EES), whereby foreign visitors from many countries will no longer get their passports stamped, and will instead go through automated machines. This will start to be rolled out as of October 12, 2025, and the expectation is that it will be fully operational by April 10, 2026. 

My take on the European Union’s ETIAS requirement

It goes without saying that I’m not generally a fan of anything that creates barriers or red tape to travel. At a minimum, it’s a minor inconvenience, it costs a little bit of money, and it’s just yet another thing that can go wrong during the travel process.

However, as far as any sort of barriers to travel go, this new ETIAS requirement is about as mild as it gets. It costs €20, it’s valid for multiple entries over three years, it can be done online, and approval typically happens within minutes.

Besides, the United States requires the same thing for those visiting from the European Union, and the European Union claims it’s to screen travelers prior to arrival.

So am I a fan of this change? As a traveler, no. Do I think this will materially impact travel demand to the European Union? No. For what it’s worth, the United Kingdom has rolled out a similar initiative, but that was implemented more quickly. What rubs me the wrong way here is the fact that the price of the ETIAS has been nearly tripled before even launching.

Bottom line

Starting in late 2026, the European Union will be introducing a new ETIAS requirement for visitors from 60+ visa waiver countries, including the United States. This means you’ll have to fill out a quick online application prior to travel, and will need to pay €20 (quite a bit more than the initially planned €7). Once approved, your ETIAS is valid for multiple entries over three years.

This is something to be aware of, but don’t worry, this isn’t some complicated visa requirement that’s costly or time consuming. Furthermore, it’s anyone’s guess if this actually ends up being implemented with the announced timeline, given how many delays we’ve seen so far.

What do you make of the European Union introducing an ETIAS requirement?