Electronic travel authorisation systems
The four pre-travel authorisation programmes a relocator actually encounters — regulator-sourced fees, enforcement dates, and validity. Most sites cover these in isolation as travel articles; this is the consolidated relocation-decision view.
Last verified · machine-readable JSON · CC BY 4.0
ETIAS
pre operationalFrontex and eu-LISA, on behalf of 29 Schengen states
Visa-exempt nationals (≈60 countries) travelling to Schengen for short stays.
- Current fee (adult)
- €20
- Previous fee
- €7 (raised 2025-07-17)
- Validity
- 3 years
- Stay per visit
- 90 days in any 180-day period
- Fee-exempt
- Under 18, Over 70
EES (the companion biometric border system) is fully operational since 10 Apr 2026. ETIAS itself is scheduled for Q4 2026; concrete day-level date not yet Commission-published.
UK ETA
enforcedUK Home Office
Non-visa nationals (85 nationalities including US, Canada, Australia, EU) travelling to the UK for ≤6 months.
- Current fee (adult)
- £20
- Previous fee
- £16 (raised 2026-04-08)
- Validity
- 2 years
- Stay per visit
- Up to 6 months per visit, multiple entries
- Mandatory from
- 2026-02-25
Full enforcement began 25 February 2026 for the 85 non-visa nationalities added to the scheme. ETA is now mandatory; boarding is refused without one.
US ESTA
enforcedUS Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Department of Homeland Security
Nationals of the 41 Visa Waiver Program countries entering the US for tourism, business, or transit for ≤90 days.
- Current fee (adult)
- $40
- Previous fee
- $21 (raised 2025-09-30)
- Validity
- 2 years
- Stay per visit
- Up to 90 days per entry
- Mandatory from
- 2009-01-12
Active since 2009; fee raised substantially on 30 September 2025.
Canada eTA
enforcedImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Visa-exempt foreign nationals travelling to Canada by air for ≤6 months.
- Current fee (adult)
- CAD $7
- Validity
- 5 years
- Stay per visit
- Up to 6 months per visit, multiple entries
- Mandatory from
- 2016-03-15
Active since March 2016; fee unchanged.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | ETIAS | UK ETA | US ESTA | Canada eTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current fee | €20 | £20 | $40 | CAD $7 |
| Previous fee | €7 (2025-07-17) | £16 (2026-04-08) | $21 (2025-09-30) | — |
| Validity | 3 years | 2 years | 2 years | 5 years |
| Max stay / visit | 90 days in any 180-day period | Up to 6 months per visit, multiple entries | Up to 90 days per entry | Up to 6 months per visit, multiple entries |
| Countries covered | 29 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Status | pre operational | enforced | enforced | enforced |
| Mandatory from | TBD | 2026-02-25 | 2009-01-12 | 2016-03-15 |
What changed recently
- 30 Sep 2025 — US ESTA raised to $40 (from $21). All unpaid applications after the system update pay the new fee. Source: esta.cbp.dhs.gov.
- 25 Feb 2026 — UK ETA enforced for all 85 non-visa nationalities (including US, Canada, Australia). Boarding refused without a valid ETA.
- 8 Apr 2026 — UK ETA raised to £20 (from £16). Source: gov.uk/eta.
- 10 Apr 2026 — EU EES fully operational. ETIAS itself scheduled for Q4 2026 at €20.
Sources
Every fee and date on this page traces to one of the following regulator URLs. If a regulator publishes a change, this page is updated within 7 days.
- ETIASETIAS will cost €20 — EU Commission(European Commission)
- ETIASETIAS — official EU traveller portal(European Commission)
- ETIASEES fully operational 10 April 2026(European Commission)
- UK ETAGOV.UK — Get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA)(UK Government)
- UK ETAElectronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) factsheet — March 2026(UK Home Office)
- UK ETANo permission, no travel — UK set to enforce ETA scheme(UK Home Office)
- US ESTAOfficial ESTA Application Website — US CBP(US Customs and Border Protection)
- US ESTAVisa Waiver Program — US Department of State(US State Department)
- Canada eTAElectronic travel authorization (eTA) — Canada.ca(Government of Canada (IRCC))
- Canada eTAElectronic travel authorization (eTA): About the process(Government of Canada (IRCC))
ETIAS & EES dashboard
EU-specific: ETIAS (€20, Q4 2026) + EES (10 Apr 2026).
All visa pathways
Digital nomad, investor, retirement, ancestry, and more.
JSON API (CC BY 4.0)
Machine-readable ETA programmes. Attribute WhereNext.