As Europe Sets Date for New Border System, ETIAS Fee Triples to €20

Countries in the European Union (EU) will roll out their new Entry/Exit System (EES) starting on Oct. 12, 2025.

The EES will eventually require all non-Europeans entering an EU country to provide fingerprints and biometrics when going through immigration control at those borders. The EU states the EES will help modernize its border management, more easily identify overstayers, combat identity fraud, and strengthen security at the borders.

More relevant for U.S. travelers, the EES will come at no cost and requires no additional pre-travel steps. Instead, the change occurs at border crossings, which will require an extra step. While the change may initially slow some crossings, the EU says the EES aims to eventually make processes quicker and more efficient.

“The EES modernizes border management by increasing efficiency and quality of processes at the border and replacing passport stamping. It also simplifies travel and makes it safer,” the EU stated.

The EES will officially begin on Oct. 12, 2025, but the rollout is expected to be gradual and won’t be fully implemented across Europe until April 9, 2026. This means traveler experiences will vary depending on the border crossing.

Europe’s Mandatory ETIAS Faces Price Hike to €20 as 2026 Launch Approaches

For U.S. travelers, however, the bigger news is that the EU is increasing the cost of its European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), its mandatory travel authorization program. ETIAS is now slated to begin operations in the last quarter of 2026, with no specific date revealed yet. The program has suffered consistent delays and was originally slated to begin in November 2023.

“The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is scheduled to start operations in the last quarter of 2026,” the ETIAS website now says.

The EU had previously stated the ETIAS, which will be valid for three years, would cost travelers 7 euros. The EU now states the ETIAS will cost 20 euros, effectively tripling the cost.

According to the ETIAS website, the application process should take no more than 10 minutes, with 95% of applicants approved within minutes. Travelers will only need their passport and a credit or debit card to pay for the authorization; no biometric data will be collected during the application process, it said.

Travelers are also being told to get approved for the ETIAS before buying airline tickets or booking hotels.