The European Union is changing the rules for visa-free travel for citizens of third countries, including Ukraine. By the end of 2026, Ukrainians will no longer need a passport to enter most European countries - they will have to apply for an electronic permit in the ETIAS system and pay the appropriate fee before traveling.
The mandatory fee for issuing an ETIAS permit will be 20 euros per applicant. Group or family applications are not allowed - each person must register separately. The issued permit will be valid for three years or until the expiration of the passport, whichever comes first.
ETIAS will allow multiple short-term trips of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. The system will cover around 30 European countries, including the Schengen area, as well as Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus.
At the same time, the European Union has identified categories of persons who are exempt from paying the fee. Children and adolescents under 18 years of age, persons over 70 years of age, as well as family members of EU citizens or people who have the right to free movement within the Union will be able to apply for a permit free of charge. However, even these categories are required to register in the system and receive approval before traveling.
The ETIAS application will be submitted exclusively online - via the official website or mobile application of the system. Payment will be made by bank card, and the application will be considered only after payment confirmation.
It is worth considering that the fee paid is non-refundable. In case of refusal or an error in the application form, in particular incorrect passport data or name, the permit will be canceled, and the procedure will have to be repeated with a new payment.
The European Commission separately warns about the risk of fraud. Applicants are advised to use only official ETIAS resources, as third-party intermediary sites often add additional "service fees", which can increase the cost of the permit to 50-100 euros.
It is also emphasized that even a valid ETIAS permit does not guarantee automatic entry into the European Union. The final decision will be made by the border services after checking documents and biometric data in the entry-exit system.
