VISA FEES: Europe entry fee to triple with new ETIAS travel authorisation

If you are Australian and planning a European getaway, you will soon need to budget three times as previously announced for a new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) fee. Originally priced at €7 (~A$11.50), the fee is due to nearly triple to €20 (~A$32 AUD) when the system launches in late 2026.

What’s behind the sharp increase?

The European Commission has justified the hike on the grounds of inflation, rising IT and border-management costs, and the need to align ETIAS with similar systems like the U.S. ESTA and U.K. ETA . In other words, other countries are charging that much so, so will we!

Who does ETIAS apply to

Citizens of over 60 currently visa‑exempt countries will qualify for an ETIAS. That includes Australians, travelling to European destinations such as France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland, amongst others. All will need to apply for ETIAS before arrival, and pay that new fee.

Exemptions

Children under 18 and travellers over 70 are exempt from the fee. Certain family members of EU citizens will also qualify for fee-free entry. These groups still have to apply for the authorisation, but no fee will be charged.

What Australians need to do

If you are travelling from now until the end of 2025, and possibly in the first half of 2026, then apply away, and no fee will be charged. If you are travelling in the latter half of 2026, then expect a €20 fee per person. That will get you multiple entries over three years, or until your passport expires.

It’s a good idea to apply early, since you need to have secured your ETIAS at least 96 hours — that’s four days prior to your departure. Although most applications will get instant approval, if you are flagged for review, it can take up to 30 days.

What to expect

Although this fee seems small, for families and groups of travellers, it quickly adds up. A family of four could incur €80 extra just for entry permissions.

The ETIAS is expected to launch in the final quarter of 2026. The scheme has had repeated delays, so use that as a guide rather than an absolute.

You will need a separate Entry/Exit System (EES) process from 12 October 2025 through until April 2026. The European Parliament and Council have not yet approved the fee for the ETIAS, although that is expected in the next few months.

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These fees and approval processes are becoming the norm around the world. Eventually, the required information and approval periods should align across different countries. But, for the moment, you will need to be vigilant about applying for these electronic border entry approvals and track their turnaround times and validity periods.

The costs will add to your travel budget, but are far less than the fees that used to apply, and still do for some countries requiring a physical visa. Also, remember that these Entry approvals are not Visas. They only apply to entrants from countries that are entitled to visa-free entry. And, not all travel will qualify under visa-free arrangements. If you’re travelling for other than tourism purposes, double-check that you qualify for visa-free travel. You may find that you still need to apply for a visa, particularly if you are travelling for work or study-related purposes.