ETIAS is not live yet · expected 2027

Do you need ETIAS for Germany?

Germany is where many trips touch the Schengen area for the first time: Frankfurt and Munich are two of Europe’s biggest hubs, and its land borders with nine countries are the busiest crossing points on the continent. That makes two questions matter more here than anywhere else: which border counts as your entry, and what Germany’s own temporary checks mean for you.

By the ETIAS Pro editorial teamChecked against official EU sourcesHow we keep this accurateLast reviewed: 7 September 2026

In brief

ETIAS is not live yet. Once it becomes mandatory, eligible visa-exempt travellers (UK, US, Canadian, Australian and similar passport holders) are expected to need ETIAS to visit Germany for short stays.

ETIAS at a glance

Status: Not live yet
Official launch date: Not yet announced (2027 reported)
Applications open: Not yet
Official fee: €20, set by EU regulation
Validity: 3 years or until passport expiry
Stay limit: 90 days in any 180-day period
Official application route: Official EU ETIAS website / app when live
Private help: ETIAS Pro may offer optional support when applications open

Germany at a glance for ETIAS

Berlin, Munich and Hamburg city breaks
Oktoberfest, Christmas markets and the Black Forest
Frankfurt and Munich as major airport transit hubs

Is Germany part of ETIAS?

Yes. Germany is an EU member and a full Schengen state, so it sits inside the ETIAS scheme. One authorisation covers Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne and everywhere in between, and the same one covers the rest of the Schengen area on the same trip.

Frankfurt and Munich: connecting or entering?

Land at Frankfurt or Munich and fly on to a non-Schengen country, staying airside, and you never enter the Schengen area, so ETIAS is not checked. Fly on to Rome, Vienna or Lisbon instead and you clear passport control in Germany, because there are no border checks on the onward flight: Germany becomes your first country of entry, your EES biometrics are registered there, and your ETIAS is verified there. That is why the two hubs matter to travellers who will barely see Germany itself.

Germany’s temporary border checks and what they mean for you

Germany has notified checks at all of its land borders and has extended them to run until March 2027. These are internal Schengen checks, not the external border: if you drove in from France or the Netherlands, your ETIAS and EES registration happened when you first entered the Schengen area, not at the German line. In practice you may still be asked for your passport at a motorway crossing, so keep it to hand rather than in the boot, and expect occasional queues on the Austrian and Polish approaches.

Driving in from a neighbour

Germany borders Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands, and most road trips arrive from one of them. Your ETIAS is checked once, at the external border where you first entered Schengen (a ferry port, a Eurotunnel terminal, an airport), and one authorisation then covers the whole drive. Days spent in every one of those countries draw on the same 90-day allowance, which is the number to watch on a long European road trip.

Trade fairs and business trips

Hannover Messe, IAA, bauma in Munich and the Frankfurt Book Fair bring hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, and attending a fair, meeting clients or negotiating a contract all count as short-stay business visits that ETIAS covers. Paid work for a German employer does not; that still needs a work visa or residence permit. Frequent business visitors should note that every trip in the year counts toward the same 90 days in any 180.

Christmas markets and winter city breaks

December is Germany’s busiest short-break month for British and American visitors, and a market weekend is exactly the kind of trip ETIAS is designed for: a few days, one authorisation, no visa. If you also spent time elsewhere in Schengen earlier in the autumn, add those days up before you book, since the 180-day window looks backwards, not forwards.

Do UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens need ETIAS for Germany?

Yes, once it becomes mandatory. All four are visa-exempt for short stays, which is precisely the group ETIAS covers. Study, work and stays over 90 days still need the appropriate German national visa or residence permit, and ETIAS does not replace either.

When should you apply for ETIAS for Germany?

Not yet. Applications are not open and there is no official launch date. When ETIAS opens, apply a few days before you travel so a manual check has time to clear, and apply before any trip that begins at Frankfurt or Munich even if Germany is only your connection.

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Common questions

What is the 90/180-day Schengen rule?

ETIAS-eligible travellers can stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days within any rolling 180-day window. ETIAS does not extend that limit; it only authorises short stays within the existing rules.

How long will ETIAS last?

An approved ETIAS is valid for up to 3 years, or until the passport it is linked to expires, whichever comes first. It allows short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period within ETIAS countries.

How much will ETIAS cost?

The official ETIAS fee is €20, set by EU regulation. Travellers under 18 and over 70 are exempt from the fee, though they will still need an ETIAS. Private services may charge a separate, optional service fee for help with the application.

Is ETIAS a visa?

Technically no. ETIAS is a travel authorisation, not a visa. Many travellers search for “ETIAS visa” or “Europe visa waiver”. The closest comparison is the US ESTA system. You still need a valid passport, and ETIAS does not guarantee entry: border officers always make the final decision.

Can I apply directly through the EU?

Yes. When the official ETIAS system opens, every traveller will be able to apply directly through the official EU website or app at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias. Using a private service is always optional.

Be ready for ETIAS before your next trip to Germany

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