Shamini 
(C): Twitter
Travelers from nations such as Canada, UK, USA, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and other visa free countries will soon be required to pay €20 as an entry charge to Europe. This will all be under a new system called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which is anticipated in late 2026.
Why is the fee increasing from €7 to €20?
At €7, the initial ETIAS price developed in 2018 has been changed to €20 due to rising flow-on inflation and administrative delays as well as the need to pay for new border security infrastructure. The raised fee now aligns ETIAS with similar schemes such as the UK’s ETA at £16 and the US ESTA at $21.
Who will need to pay the fee and who is exempt?
Cost €20: Traveler between 18 – 70 years of age from 59+ visa exempt countries, applies to entry into all 27 EU states except Ireland as well as EFTA countries such as Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Exemptions: Children under 18 years of age, seniors over 70 years of age and family of EU/EEA citizens.
When will the change take effect?
The proposal was published on July 17th, 2025 and is now undergoing a two months review by the European Parliament and Council. If approved, the €20 payment will apply once ETIAS officially begins in Q4 2026.
What’s the purpose behind ETIAS and the fee?
The aim of ETIAS is to strengthen border security by pre-screening travelers, following migration patterns and identifying potential risk. The fee is used to support ETIAS and other EU policy objectives including defense, management of migration, digital border management infrastructure and part of the proposed €2 trillion 2028-2034 EU budget and other EU priorities.
