It has not even started but a hike in the price is already announced. The future European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is due to arrive a year after the launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES) in the European Union. While the EES official launching should be this coming October, ETIAS should follow in the last quarter of 2026.
ETIAS is the future travel authorisation requirement for nationals of 59 visa-exempt countries and territories around the world.
It will be mandatory to enter to 30 European countries for a short stay of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Similar entry requirements for visa-free nationals are currently in place in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among other countries.
The initial fee to get the ETIAS was a relatively modest 7 euros (8 US$). However, the European Commission proposed on July 18 to raise the fee for the future travel authorisation to €20. The Commission cited inflation and increased costs caused by repeated delays to the scheme’s rollout.
The European Union seems to be following in the footsteps of the United Kingdom and the United States.
Both the UK and the USA recently announced or implemented increases for their own travel authorization. The UK Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) fee went up last April from £10 to £16 (approximately US$20.70). The US ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization), which currently costs US21 -including a $4 processing fee- might increase next year to US$ 40.
