ETIAS for Ukrainians: which permit will become mandatory for travel to Europe at the end of 2026
The visa-free regime for short trips to most European countries remains in force for citizens of Ukraine with biometric passports, but the travel procedure will be supplemented by a new mandatory procedure that will concern the prior electronic authorization. The European Union is preparing to launch the ETIAS system, through which citizens of visa-free countries will undergo electronic authorization before traveling, and for Ukrainians this requirement will also become part of the preparation for the trip.
What will change for Ukrainians after the launch of the system
After the launch of ETIAS, Ukrainians traveling to European countries for short-term trips will have to submit an online application in advance for a permit tied to their passport. From a practical point of view, this means that one biometric passport will no longer be enough to board a flight or prepare for a trip, since the carrier and border services will check the presence of a valid electronic authorization.
The launch of the system is expected at the end of 2026, and the exact date is to be announced separately by the European Union. The first months after the launch will be a transitional period, so the new rules will be introduced gradually, without a single change for all travelers on the same day.
What is ETIAS and what status will this permit have
The name ETIAS refers to the European Travel Information and Authorization System, created for citizens of those countries who enter the Schengen area without a visa. In terms of its content, such a permit is closer to a prior electronic approval for travel than to a classic visa, since a person does not need to contact a consulate, prepare a large package of paper documents and go through the usual visa procedure.
For Ukrainian refugees, this will mean maintaining the visa-free regime as such, but within this regime a new requirement will appear related to a preliminary online check. Travel for tourist, private, medical or short-term business purposes will remain possible, but before departure you will have to go through another stage of registration.
Who will the new rules apply to?
ETIAS applies to citizens of visa-free countries who come to Europe for a short period of time. Ukraine is included in this list, so the new system will apply to holders of Ukrainian biometric passports who travel to the Schengen area and several other countries included in the electronic authorization mechanism.
For most Ukrainians, the issue of ETIAS will be relevant in usual situations related to tourism, trips to relatives, participation in business meetings, short medical visits or transit. At the same time, long-term study, employment or relocation remain in a different legal area, where national visas or permits are valid.
The ETIAS mechanism is designed for short-term stays – up to 90 days within any 180-day period, that is, for the same time limit that already applies within visa-free travel. The permit will allow multiple entries as long as it remains valid, so you won’t have to apply for a new one before each trip if the authorization has not yet expired and your passport remains the same.
Due to this model, ETIAS does not grant new migration rights or expand the list of grounds for staying in Europe. Its purpose is related to the preliminary control of short trips that will continue to be made within the specified time limits.
How much will the application cost
After the system is launched, an official fee will be charged for submitting an application, which for most adults will be 20 euros. There are exceptions to the payment for certain categories of travelers, but exemption from the fee does not mean exemption from the procedure itself, since an application will also need to be submitted in such cases.
In practice, this amount does not seem large, but it is precisely because of the low cost and simple online format that intermediary services may appear that will try to charge significantly more for simply filling out the form. Therefore, when the system is launched, it will be especially important to use only official submission channels.
How long will ETIAS be valid
After approval, the permit will be valid for up to three years or until the expiration of the passport with which the application was submitted. For the traveler, this means that re-application will be required either after this period has expired or after replacing the passport, even if the previous authorization has not yet expired for three years.
Such a link to a specific document is of practical importance during verification, since the electronic permit will not exist separately from the passport, but in connection with its details. When traveling, a person will have to use the document for which ETIAS is issued.
How to apply
Application is provided only in electronic format – via the official website of the European Union or the official mobile application. The procedure will not require a visit to the consulate, a paper questionnaire or personal submission of documents, so the entire process will take place remotely.
To apply, you will need a valid biometric passport, email, and a bank card to pay the fee. When filling out the application, the applicant will enter personal data, passport details, address of residence, employment information, and also answer several questions related to security and previous trips.
In most cases, the decision will be received quickly, so the electronic system will send a response within a short time after submitting the application. At the same time, some applications may be sent for additional verification, which will increase the processing time to several days or longer if additional information is needed.
Due to this procedure, postponing processing until the day of departure is risky, since the standard fast processing does not mean the same time for each application. To prepare for the trip calmly, it is advisable to apply for a permit in advance, as soon as the system starts accepting applications.
The presence of ETIAS will be important even before arriving at the border, since carriers will check whether the passenger has the right to travel. Upon arrival in the country of entry, the final decision will still be made by the border service, which will verify the passport, the validity of the electronic permit and other border crossing conditions.
For this reason, an approved ETIAS does not equal an unconditional entry permit, although without it, a short trip after the launch of the system will become impossible. For the traveler, this will be an additional mandatory element that must be taken into account along with the passport and the period of stay.
What is important to remember before the launch of ETIAS
Applications are not submitted before the official launch of ETIAS, so it is not yet possible to issue a permit in advance. All practical actions for travelers will begin only after the European Union announces the exact launch date and opens official tools for submitting questionnaires.
For Ukrainians, the main change is that short trips to Europe will remain within the framework of the visa-free regime, but preparation for them will no longer be limited to checking the validity of the passport. Before leaving, you will have to undergo electronic authorization, pay the fee in the prescribed cases, and wait for confirmation, without which travel to countries covered by the system will not take place.
