Oct. 15, 2026 • 5 min read Jump to section Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don’t cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. Since Europe launched its automated border control system , you may have heard about another new addition for travelers: The European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS, which will require many tourists to obtain a waiver before entering most continental European countries. You may even have seen websites offering these waivers.
Don't take the bait. Since Europe is still grappling with the disastrous rollout of EES, the ETIAS has been postponed until at least 2027 . These waivers are not required or available yet, but scammers don't want you to know that.
Read on to learn more about ETIAS, what you actually need to enter Europe right now and how to stay safe online.
ETIAS is a forthcoming system that will be used to allow visitors to enter 30 countries in Europe's Schengen Zone. These include popular tourist destinations like France, Germany, Greece, Switzerland and Spain; see the full list here .
When the system goes live, travelers from dozens of visa-exempt countries, including the U.S., will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization. It's technically not a visa, but an electronic waiver will allow you to stay in the 30 applicable countries for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. It will be valid for three years or until the travel document you used in your application expires, whichever comes first.
The planned cost of an ETIAS waiver is 20 euros (around $22) per adult; travelers under 18 and over 70 can apply for free.
ETIAS is easily confused with the United Kingdom's electronic travel authorisation (ETA), but there is a big difference.
When introduced, ETIAS will apply to 30 Schengen Zone countries across continental Europe (and Iceland). It does not apply to the U.K. or Ireland.
An ETA, on the other hand, is an existing document that most tourists need to enter the U.K., Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man. It costs 20 pounds ($26) and allows access to these areas for up to six months.
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While ETIAS is not yet available, you can (and should) apply for an ETA if you are visiting the U.K.
ETIAS was slated to roll out soon after Europe introduced its biometric border control Entry/Exit System. However, EES has been plagued by software bugs and long delays since its launch earlier this year, and as a result, ETIAS has been put on hold until sometime in 2027.
Per an official EU site , "ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point."
That means travelers to Europe don't need to do anything at the moment. Keep an eye on the site, a…