ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System)

An EU travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors, due to launch in late 2026 and become mandatory in 2027. It requires travellers from visa-exempt countries to obtain an online authorisation before travelling to the Schengen Area, similar in concept to the US ESTA. Companies with frequent EU travellers will need to build this additional step into their pre-trip planning once it becomes mandatory.

ETIAS will apply to citizens of countries that can currently visit Europe without a visa — for example, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and the UAE — travelling for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Travellers will apply online, providing passport details, personal information and answers to security and health questions. Most applications are expected to be approved within minutes, although some may take longer. Once approved, the authorisation is linked to the passport and is expected to be valid for three years or until the passport expires, and the announced fee is €20.

ETIAS is not a visa, and it does not change the rules for what travellers can do in Europe or how long they can stay. However, airlines will check whether passengers have a valid authorisation before boarding, so a missing ETIAS could prevent a traveller from flying. The launch has been postponed several times, and the timeline has continued to change, so companies should monitor the official EU website for the confirmed start date and plan to include ETIAS in their pre-trip checklist once it becomes mandatory. Travellers should use only the official application channel.

When ETIAS becomes mandatory, it will be one more step to include in pre-trip planning for Europe, alongside passport validity and the 90/180-day rule. Tumodo's traveller profiles keep passport details up to date for accurate bookings, and visa assistance is available through Tumodo's support team. With flights, rail tickets across Europe, hotels and transfers booked in one trip, travellers have all their arrangements in one place before they go.