ETIAS status: what changes and when

ETIAS is not a visa and it does not extend a permitted stay. It has not started yet. The EU had aimed to launch it in the last quarter of 2026, but its official ETIAS site no longer gives that date or any other, and the EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. Because the date can move, check the official source again close to travel.

EES is running, ETIAS is not

Two separate systems are involved, and it helps to keep them apart.

• The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the automated border record for non-EU nationals on a short stay. It covers 29 European countries. Its rollout began in October 2025 and was due to reach every external border crossing by 10 April 2026, replacing manual passport stamping. The rollout has been uneven, according to a September 2026 update from the immigration law firm Fragomen.
• ETIAS, the travel authorisation, follows EES. Its start depends on EES running fully, and no start date is set.

The EU has described a transitional period after ETIAS begins. During that window, a traveller who does not yet hold an authorisation should not be refused on that basis alone. ETIAS becomes a firm entry requirement once the transitional period ends. Confirm the current position on the official timeline before you rely on it.

The fee

ETIAS will carry an application fee set by the EU. Applicants under 18 or over 70 are exempt from it. Check the current fee on the official ETIAS site when applications open, and treat any third-party site that charges more, or promises to "speed up" an application, with care.

Who needs it, and what it is

ETIAS will be an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling for a short stay to the 30 participating European countries. It is a travel authorisation, not a visa, and it is linked to your passport. An approved authorisation is valid for up to three years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first, and one authorisation can cover several short trips within that period.

What ETIAS does not change

ETIAS does not add days to a stay, and it does not replace the 90/180-day short-stay limit. Those remain two different questions. Holding an authorisation does not extend how long you may stay, and a clean day count does not confirm that you meet the ETIAS or entry conditions. Once ETIAS starts, an eligible traveller may need to manage both at once.

For the ordinary short-stay count, start with the Schengen 90/180 rule and the EU short-stay calculator. To see whether your passport will need an authorisation, check the EU's official ETIAS guidance rather than an old travel article.

How Schengen Calculator helps

Schengen Calculator is for the day-counting side, the part ETIAS does not touch. It records stays and plans a trip against the rolling 90/180 window that ETIAS travellers will still have to respect. You can try the free browser calculator or keep a private record on your phone with the app.

The app does not apply for ETIAS, check an application, or replace official travel advice. Review and correct your travel history before you use any count to plan. Check the official ETIAS source before travel, because dates and requirements can change. It is a tool, not legal advice — the border officer has the final say.