ETIAS for UK travellers: what it is and when it starts
ETIAS (the European Travel Information and Authorisation System) is a travel authorisation for people who do not need a visa, British passport holders among them. Once it starts, you will apply online before a trip, pay a fee and receive an authorisation linked to your passport. Until then, a British traveller needs only a valid passport, as explained in travelling to France from the UK.
What the EU says about ETIAS today
The official ETIAS website, read on 10 November 2026, describes it as the new travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers to enter 30 European countries. It states plainly that ETIAS is currently not in operation and that no applications are being collected.
When it opens, the same site lists four steps: fill in the application, pay a EUR 20 fee, receive the travel authorisation, and travel, for stays of up to 90 days. The EU will give the exact start date several months ahead.
The French Embassy's page on ETIAS gives the same warning about scams: because the system is not running, sites offering the procedure can only take your money or your personal data.
| Question | Answer on 10 November 2026 |
|---|---|
| Is ETIAS running? | No |
| Can I apply now? | No, no applications are collected |
| Fee once it starts | EUR 20 |
| Countries | 30 European countries |
| Stay it covers | up to 90 days |
| Start date | to be announced several months in advance |
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ETIAS and EES are not the same thing
People often mix them up. The EES is already working: it records your entries and exits, with fingerprints and a photo, at the border. ETIAS will be an authorisation you get online before travelling.
What it will mean for British travellers
The EU's page on who should apply has a section on UK nationals. Once ETIAS starts, they will need a valid travel authorisation for short stays, 90 days in any 180, in any of the 30 countries that require it. Longer stays still need a visa or a residence permit under national or EU law.
There is one exemption. UK nationals and family members covered by the Withdrawal Agreement who hold its residence document, issued in the uniform format by one of those countries, are exempt; the same page notes that holders whose host country is Ireland, and those whose document was issued by Cyprus for travel to the other countries, are not.
Until the start date, a trip to France needs a passport issued less than 10 years before arrival and valid 3 months after you leave, plus the free EES registration at the border.
- Nothing to apply for: travel on your passport
- Check your passport dates before each trip
- Only use travel-europe.europa.eu when ETIAS opens
Official sources: ETIAS, official EU website; ETIAS FAQ, official EU website; ETIAS - Aller en Europe.
Checked against the official sources on 10 November 2026.
Independent information, not an official service: frenchconsulates.co.uk has no link with the French authorities.
We read the official pages, date what we use and report disagreements between them. Always check with the consulate before you go.