Not only is the U.S. passport getting weaker, American travelers are facing more costs than ever to enter into different countries. The new Electronic Travel Authorization (ETIAS), delayed to go into effect in the last quarter of 2026, will now charge applicants triple the amount it originally called for.
The European Commission officially announced that the application fee will increase from €7 (approximately $8) to €20 (approximately $23) on July 17th, 2025. The reason for the price hike has to do with inflation adjustments and administrative costs. It is possible that the application fee may even incur an annual increase depending on operational costs of the system once it goes into effect.
The application fee must be paid for by card for non-EU nationals, ages 18 to 70 years old. Travelers below 18 or over 70 will not be required to make an ETIAS payment. Once approved, an ETIAS will be valid for three years or until passport expiration. Thus, the €20 fee will only be required again upon renewal.
In addition to the fee, travelers must provide the following in their application:
- Personal information including name(s), surname, date and place of birth, nationality, home address, parents’ first names, email address and phone number
- Travel document details
- Details about education level and current occupation
- Details about intended travel and stay in any of the countries requiring ETIAS
- Details about any criminal convictions, any past travels to war or conflict zones, and whether you have recently been subject of a decision requiring you to leave the territory of any country.
ETIAS will permit travelers into 30 European countries, including: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. Visitors will be allowed to stay no longer than 90 days within a 180-day period.
Other new travel rules Americans will have to comply with on a trip to Europe includes being fingerprinted as part of the latest Entry/Exit System (EES). However that rule will begin as soon as October 2025.