Apply for ETIAS the right way, for €20, once.
ETIAS is the EU's online travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors. The official application takes a few minutes and costs €20. This guide covers exactly how to apply, what you need, how long approval takes, and how to avoid the lookalike sites that charge several times the official fee.
€20, paid once
A single €20 fee per adult applicant, free for under-18s and over-70s. Paid online by card at the end of the application. Non-refundable if refused.
Minutes, usually
Most applications are approved automatically within minutes. A minority are flagged for review and can take up to 30 days. Apply before booking non-refundable travel.
Valid 3 years
One approved ETIAS covers multiple trips for 3 years, or until your passport expires — whichever is first. Each stay still follows the 90/180-day rule.
Linked to your passport
ETIAS is tied to the exact passport you apply with. Renew or replace it and you must reapply. Travel on that passport.
How to apply for ETIAS, step by step
Gather your documents
A valid biometric passport (with at least three months validity beyond your trip), a payment card, and an email address. Know your travel dates and the first country you will enter.
Open the official EU ETIAS portal
Go to the official EU ETIAS website — not a third-party reseller. Check the europa.eu domain before entering any personal or passport details.
Complete the application
Enter your passport, contact, and travel details, then answer the short security and background questions honestly. Review everything before submitting — small typos can trigger a refusal or a manual review.
Pay the €20 fee
Pay by card. The fee is per applicant and non-refundable. Travellers under 18 and over 70 are exempt from the fee but still submit an application.
Wait for the email decision
Approval usually arrives within minutes. If flagged, it can take up to 30 days. Do not book non-refundable travel until your ETIAS is approved.
Travel — then complete EES on arrival
Carry the linked passport; the airline checks ETIAS at the gate. On arrival you complete the separate EES biometric registration at the border.
Before you apply
Check the domain
The official portal sits on an official EU (europa.eu) domain. If a site asks for more than €20 or looks like a private agency, close it and find the official one.
One application per traveller
There is no family or group application. Every traveller, including infants and children, needs their own ETIAS linked to their own passport.
Answer questions honestly
ETIAS screens against EU security and migration databases. Inaccurate answers can lead to refusal. If refused, you may be able to appeal or apply for a visa instead.
Keep your approval handy
Save the approval email. While the authorisation is linked electronically to your passport, having the confirmation makes any gate-side query quicker to resolve.
What is ETIAS?
The full explainer — who needs it, when it starts, validity, and how it connects to the EES biometric border check.
ETIAS countries
The European countries that require ETIAS for short stays, and which ones are not part of the scheme.