Open4Business reports that from the end of 2026, citizens of Ukraine and other visa-free countries will have to obtain an electronic ETIAS permit for short-term trips to most European countries, according to the official EU Travel Europe website.
ETIAS is not a visa and does not cancel the visa-free regime for Ukrainians. This is an electronic travel authorisation that will be required before entering Schengen countries, as well as individual European states participating in the system. The permit will be issued online through the official EU website.
The application fee will be €20. Applicants under the age of 18 and over 70 are exempt from the fee. There are also separate exemptions for family members of EU citizens and a number of other categories if they fulfil the conditions.
The ETIAS permit will be valid for up to three years or until the expiry date of the passport if the passport expires earlier. It will allow short trips of up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
The system will apply to citizens of countries that now travel to Europe without a visa, including Ukraine. Before travelling, travellers will have to fill in an online questionnaire with passport and personal data, as well as answer security-related questions. In most cases, a decision should be made quickly, but the EU recommends applying for authorisation in advance, before buying tickets and booking travel.
The EU separately warns that the application should only be made through the official website europa.eu/etias, as there are already intermediary websites that may charge additional fees or collect personal data. The EU Delegation to Ukraine has also previously drawn attention to the risk of fraudulent websites posing as the Official ETIAS Portal.