Is ETIAS live yet?
The latest status, expected launch timeline, and what travellers should do today.
Current status
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
Status today
ETIAS applications are not open, and the EU has not announced an official launch date. The EU withdrew its previous target in July 2026 and has said the date will be announced well in advance. Press reporting on EU planning points to a launch in 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed, with a transition window before it becomes strictly mandatory for visa-exempt travellers, but that has not been officially confirmed.
Until the official EU system goes live, nobody, including ETIAS Pro, can issue an ETIAS authorisation. Any site claiming otherwise should be treated with extreme caution.
ETIAS status tracker
Last checked: 7 September 2026
- Official status
- Not live yet
- Applications open
- No
- Mandatory at border
- Not yet
- Official launch date
- Not yet announced (2027 reported)
- Official fee
- €20, set by EU regulation
What changed
- 7 September 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts. ETIAS remains not live and the EU has not announced an official launch date; the 2027 launch window is press reporting on EU planning and is not an official commitment. The eu-LISA management board’s September 2026 meeting had not yet concluded as of this review, and no revised implementation timeline has been published. The official fee remains €20, set by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1411, with the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions unchanged. The 3-year validity, 90-day stay limit and transitional grace-period mechanics are also unchanged. The UK ETA fee stands at £20 following the April 2026 increase; the US ESTA fee is approximately US$40 (the current published rate is $40.27). The Entry/Exit System remains fully operational.
- 6 September 2026Accuracy review across the whole site. We now separate official facts from reported expectations everywhere: ETIAS is not live and the EU has not announced an official launch date; the 2027 launch window is press reporting on EU planning, not an official commitment, and our copy now says so explicitly. The €20 fee is stated plainly as official, since it was set by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/1411, as are the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions from the ETIAS regulation. Older news articles that reported the withdrawn late-2026 window now carry an update notice pointing here. No underlying facts changed.
- 31 August 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts. ETIAS remains not live, the expected launch is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee is €20, and all other terms, including 3-year validity, the 90-day stay limit, and the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions, are unchanged. The eu-LISA management board meeting in September 2026 remains the next key milestone for a revised launch timeline; no new official date has been announced. Industry commentary continues to cite April 2027 as the earliest realistic date, though this is not officially confirmed. The UK ETA fee at £20 and the US ESTA fee at approximately $40 are also unchanged. The Entry/Exit System remains fully operational.
- 24 August 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts. ETIAS remains not live, the expected launch is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee is €20, and all other terms, including 3-year validity, the 90-day stay limit, and the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions, are unchanged. Press and official sources continue to point to the eu-LISA management board meeting in September 2026 as the next milestone for a revised launch timeline. Industry commentary still floats an April 2027 earliest realistic date, though nothing has been officially confirmed. The Entry/Exit System stays fully operational, with reported summer queue pressure at some Schengen airports.
- 17 August 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts. Press coverage from 12 to 14 August 2026 (Euronews, Timeout UK) describes the delay as officially confirmed and indefinite, consistent with our records since 19 July 2026. ETIAS remains not live, the expected launch is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee is €20, and all other terms, including 3-year validity, the 90-day stay limit, and the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions, are unchanged. Industry insiders suggest April 2027 as the earliest realistic launch, though this is not officially confirmed. The eu-LISA management board meeting in September 2026 remains the next milestone for a revised timeline.
- 10 August 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts: the system remains not live, the expected launch is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee is €20, and all other terms, including 3-year validity, the 90-day stay limit, and the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions, are unchanged. Press and official sources confirm the EU has removed its Q4 2026 target; eu-LISA’s September 2026 board meeting remains the next expected milestone for a revised launch timeline.
- 3 August 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts: the system remains not live, the expected launch is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee is €20, and all other terms, including 3-year validity, the 90-day stay limit, and the under-18 and over-70 fee exemptions, are unchanged. Press coverage from late July 2026 confirms the EU has removed its Q4 2026 target from the official website, consistent with our records since 19 July 2026. The eu-LISA board meeting in September 2026 remains the next expected milestone for a revised timeline.
- 27 July 2026Weekly review confirmed no changes to ETIAS facts: the system remains not live, the expected launch is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee is €20, and all other terms (3-year validity, 90-day stay limit, under-18 and over-70 exemptions) are unchanged. The EU Entry/Exit System continues to operate, though summer 2026 has brought significant queue times at major Schengen airports as the biometric checks bed in. The eu-LISA September 2026 board meeting remains the next key date for a revised ETIAS timeline.
- 20 July 2026ETIAS Pro reviewed official and press sources. No changes to report: ETIAS remains not live, the expected launch window is 2027 (exact date still to be confirmed), the official fee remains €20, and all other facts (validity, stay limit, exemptions) are unchanged. The revised timeline from eu-LISA’s September 2026 board meeting remains the next key date to watch.
- 19 July 2026ETIAS Pro reviewed official and press sources. The EU has withdrawn its last-quarter-of-2026 wording, and eu-LISA reportedly considers a 2026 launch no longer feasible. We now describe the expected launch as 2027, with a revised timeline expected from eu-LISA's September 2026 board meeting. Fee, validity and stay rules are unchanged.
- 11 June 2026ETIAS Pro reviewed official sources. ETIAS remains not live, applications are not open, and the expected launch is still the last quarter of 2026.
- 30 May 2026ETIAS Pro reviewed official sources. ETIAS remains not live, and the expected launch is still the last quarter of 2026.
- 10 April 2026The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational across Schengen countries.
- March 2026EU and industry sources continued to point to Q4 2026 for ETIAS operations.
ETIAS launch timeline
Expected timeline
Source: official EU page →- 1✓ Done
EES rollout
12 October 2025
The EU Entry/Exit System began its progressive rollout at Schengen borders.
- 2✓ Done
EES operational
10 April 2026
EES became fully operational, replacing passport stamps with digital records.
- 3Now
Today
Now
ETIAS is not open. No application is required. Travel as normal.
- 4
ETIAS launch
2027 (reported)
ETIAS becomes operational. Applications open through the official EU website.
- 5
Transition, then mandatory
After launch
A transition window is expected before ETIAS is strictly required at the border.
Why ETIAS has been delayed
ETIAS launch has slipped several times since it was first announced, largely because it depends on the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) going live first, plus integration work across 30 countries’ border infrastructure. There is no official target date at the moment; press reporting points to a launch in 2027, with a revised timeline expected from the EU in autumn 2026. We update this page when official sources change their guidance.
What travellers should do now
- Travel as normal. ETIAS doesn’t change anything for travel today.
- Check your passport validity. Most short-stay rules in Europe ask for at least 3 months’ validity beyond your planned return date.
- Sign up for one email below if you want to be told the day applications actually open.
- Don’t pay anyone for ETIAS yet. If a website is asking for payment today, it isn’t legitimate.
When applications may open
The Commission has said it will give clear public notice ahead of applications opening. The current reported expectation is a launch in 2027, with a revised timeline expected from the EU in autumn 2026, with a transition window before ETIAS becomes mandatory at the borders around six months after launch.
How to get an alert
Use the form below. You’ll get one email when the official ETIAS system opens, plus a heads-up if the official EU timeline materially changes. We’ll never ask for passport details before the official system opens.
Get one email when ETIAS opens
Get one email when ETIAS applications open. No passport details. No payment before launch.
ETIAS status FAQs
Is ETIAS live yet?
No. ETIAS is not live, and the EU has not announced an official launch date. Press reporting points to a start in 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed. Until then, no traveller can or should apply for ETIAS.
When does ETIAS start?
The EU has not announced an official launch date. Press reporting on EU planning points to a launch in 2027, with the exact date still to be confirmed, with a transition period before it becomes mandatory around six months after launch. Dates have moved before and may move again, so we update this page when official sources change their guidance.
Can I apply for ETIAS now?
No. The official ETIAS system is not open yet, so it is not possible for anyone to apply. Any website claiming to issue ETIAS today is not legitimate.
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.
How can I avoid fake ETIAS websites?
Before ETIAS opens, no website can issue ETIAS, full stop. Be cautious of sites using EU branding, flags, or “official” wording, or asking for payment or passport details now. The only official application route will be the EU site at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias.
Related pages
ETIAS grace period
How the optional phase works before ETIAS becomes mandatory.
Read →ETIAS application guide
How the ETIAS application form is expected to work.
Read →ETIAS myths
Out-of-date dates and fees, corrected.
Read →Official ETIAS website
Where to apply and how to spot fake sites.
Read →How much will ETIAS cost?
The official €20 fee and what private services may charge.
Read →
Get ready for ETIAS before it becomes mandatory
ETIAS is not live yet. Check whether you’re likely to need it and get one email when applications open.