Europe’s future travel-authorisation system, ETIAS, is not accepting applications yet. That is the most important fact for travellers to know before entering card details, paying a fee or sharing passport information with a website that claims to offer an ETIAS application today.
As of 20 October 2026, the European Union’s official ETIAS portal states that the system is not in operation and that no applications are being collected. Travellers therefore do not need to take any ETIAS action yet.
What ETIAS will be
ETIAS stands for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. Once operational, it will apply to visa-exempt nationals travelling for short stays to participating European countries. It will be a travel authorisation, not a visa, and it will be linked electronically to the passport used in the application.
That distinction matters. Travellers who already need a Schengen visa will continue to follow the visa process. People covered by visa-free travel rules will eventually use ETIAS, but only after the system officially opens.
Why travellers should wait
Because ETIAS is not open, a site that invites you to complete an “official” ETIAS application now cannot submit it to the EU system. Some private services may collect details in advance or sell alerts, but that is not the same as filing an application. The safest approach is to use the official EU portal and wait for a confirmed launch announcement.
What you can prepare now
- Check your passport. Confirm the expiry date and condition of the document you plan to travel with.
- Use the same passport. When ETIAS opens, the authorisation will be tied to the passport entered in the application.
- Review your route. Know whether every country on your itinerary participates in the relevant European border arrangements.
- Ignore urgency claims. There is no legitimate reason to pay an “early ETIAS” fee while the official system says applications are not being collected.
- Bookmark the official portal. Start with travel-europe.europa.eu/etias, not a sponsored search result.
Do not confuse ETIAS with EES
ETIAS and the Entry/Exit System (EES) are separate programmes. EES records border crossings for many non-EU short-stay travellers and affects the process at external borders. ETIAS is the future pre-travel authorisation. A change in border processing does not mean that ETIAS applications have opened.
How to spot an unreliable page
Be cautious if a page presents itself as a government service without using an official EU domain, guarantees approval, asks for payment before the official system opens, or hides service charges. Also avoid sending passport scans or personal details merely to “reserve a place.”
When ETIAS launches, travellers should read the official eligibility rules, fee information and transition arrangements current at that time. These details can change, and travel plans should be based on the latest official guidance rather than old social posts or travel-forum screenshots.
The practical takeaway
For now, do not apply and do not pay. Keep your passport valid, use the EU’s official travel portal as your source of truth, and check again before booking or departing. Preparation is sensible; submitting personal information to an unofficial pre-application service is not.
