ETIAS postponed to late 2026: what it means for your EU summer holiday
Five things to know before heading into the Schengen area this summer. The new 20-euro EU permit is not yet required, but your passport has to be valid.
Do you already need a new ETIAS permit for a summer trip to Europe this year? Short answer: no. The system has been postponed and will not start operating until the end of the year.
According to the latest figures from the European Commission, ETIAS, the new electronic travel authorisation for visitors from non-Schengen countries, comes into force in the final quarter of 2026. The full obligation for all travellers kicks in at the start of 2027. That means summer 2026 entry into Schengen runs on the same rules that have been in place for years.
How Schengen entry looks right now
Travellers with a Serbian passport enter the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The rule has not changed, but border officers are increasingly strict about checking entry and exit stamps.
Half-jokingly but seriously: the borders with Hungary and Croatia have seen waits of up to four hours in recent weeks, especially at weekends. If you are driving to Greece or Italy, set off earlier than planned.
What ETIAS will bring when it launches
ETIAS is not a visa but an electronic travel authorisation similar to the US ESTA or Canadian eTA. According to the European Commission:
- A fee of 20 euros per application, around 2,350 dinars
- Validity of three years or until the passport expires
- Online application taking around 10 minutes
- Permitted stay remains 90 days in any 180
The fee is three times higher than the original announcement, which had it at 7 euros in the first plans presented in 2018.
Five things to know before you go
- The passport must be valid for at least 3 months after your planned return from the EU. This already applies now and will continue with ETIAS. If your passport is close to expiry, renewal takes 15 to 30 days on average.
- ETIAS is not yet accepting applications. Any site offering to register you for ETIAS in May 2026 is a scam. The system is not live.
- Once it launches, ETIAS will apply only to travellers from so-called visa-free countries. For Serbia, which is already visa-free, entering Schengen this summer does not require a new permit.
- EES, the new electronic entry/exit registration system, comes in before ETIAS. Under the EU plan, EES starts at the end of 2026, meaning biometric registration at the border (fingerprints, photograph).
- Flight tickets for summer 2026 are currently 15 to 25 per cent more expensive than last year. This is not linked to ETIAS but to fuel prices and post-pandemic demand.
What to expect at the border
EU border crossings will operate this summer as they have done before, with stamps in the passport. The difference compared with previous years is stricter document checks and more frequent requests for proof of accommodation and means of support.
Our recommendation is to carry a printed hotel or apartment booking, your travel insurance policy and a return ticket. Most travellers will not need them, but if the officer asks, it is better to have everything to hand.
A practical tip before booking a holiday
Before buying tickets, check whether your passport expires before the end of 2027. If so, renew now. After September, when the police are under extreme pre-New Year load, waiting times stretch.
A second tip: if your destination is not in the Schengen area (Croatia is now in Schengen, Bulgaria and Romania partially), check the specific rules of that country. Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia are not in Schengen and have their own border regimes.
Who ETIAS will affect most
If you are planning to travel into the EU with friends from the US, UK, Australia or Canada, they will need ETIAS before boarding the plane. Without that permit, the airline will not let them on.
The fee is 20 euros, the online process takes 10 minutes, but approval can take up to 30 days in cases requiring additional checks. It is worth telling friends to apply at least two months before the trip once the system goes live.
Are you travelling to the EU this summer, and how are you preparing for the border? Share your experiences in the comments.
