FRA9 · 31/08/2026 · Plan your trip
EES and ETIAS for France travel in 2026
EES is already operating; ETIAS is not yet accepting applications. Here is what actually changes at the border.
Archive photograph dated 2023-05-20 · Shadowwxx · CC BY-SA 4.0. Shadowwxx ↗
See the essentials at a glance
Updated
FRA9Editorial standardsReport a correction
Reading time estimates the main text; tables, tools, references and questions take additional time.
key points: EES active · ETIAS not open · Biometrics · 90 days in 180
Most asked questions
Do Turkish citizens need ETIAS?
Ordinary Turkish passport holders who require a Schengen visa do not apply for ETIAS; the visa route continues and EES applies to a short-stay border crossing. Visa-exempt documents or statuses must be checked against the official eligibility rules.
Is there an EES application or fee before travel?
No. EES has no paid pre-travel application; eligible travellers have passport and biometric data registered at the external border.
When will ETIAS start and how much will it cost?
As of 1 September 2026 applications are not open and no exact launch date has been announced. The EU still targets the final quarter; the announced fee is €20 and ordinary validity is three years or until passport expiry.
Who is exempt from EES registration?
Holders of a long-stay visa or residence permit issued by an EES country and certain family members of EU citizens are normally exempt. The supporting document must be presented at the border.
The position on 1 September 2026
EES has been fully operational across the Schengen countries since 10 April 2026. ETIAS is not yet in operation and no official applications are being collected. It remains scheduled for the final quarter of 2026, but no exact launch date has been published.
Visa, EES or ETIAS: the 30-second decision
A visa lets a visa-required traveller present themselves at the border; EES digitally records many non-EU nationals making short stays; ETIAS will be a pre-travel authorisation only for visa-exempt travellers. An ordinary Turkish passport still requires a Schengen visa and is then subject to EES, but not ETIAS. None of the three guarantees entry, which remains a border-control decision.
EES: what happens at the border
EES applies to non-EU nationals making a short stay in Schengen, whether they travel with a visa or visa-free. On the first crossing, passport data, facial image, fingerprints and entry or exit dates are recorded. There is no paid EES application to submit before travel.
Who is exempt from EES registration?
Holders of a long-stay visa or residence permit issued by a country operating EES are normally not registered. Certain non-EU family members of European citizens who hold a residence card or permit are also exempt, as are nationals of Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican. Children below 12 remain subject to EES but their fingerprints are not scanned. Always present the document on which an exemption depends.
ETIAS: who will need it?
ETIAS will apply only to travellers who are visa-exempt for short stays. Travellers who require a Schengen visa will not apply for ETIAS. Once live, the authorisation will be linked electronically to the passport and checked before boarding.
The case of a Turkish traveller
A Turkish citizen using an ordinary passport and requiring a Schengen visa is not an ETIAS applicant; the normal visa process still applies. At the external border, however, EES registration applies. Holders of visa-exempt passports or statuses should check the rule for their exact document.
Avoid fake ETIAS websites
Because ETIAS applications are not open, a website promising an official authorisation or taking payment today cannot issue the EU authorisation. Use only the official Travel to Europe portal when the European Union announces the launch.
ETIAS fee, timing and validity after launch
The announced official fee is €20. Travellers under 18, over 70 and some family members benefiting from free movement are fee-exempt, although those within scope still need an authorisation. A routine decision is announced within a maximum of 96 hours, but further checks can extend processing. ETIAS will be valid for three years or until the passport expires, without changing the 90-days-in-180 limit.
Allow time on arrival
A first biometric registration may lengthen the border process. Leave a connection buffer, follow EES signs and use the same passport linked to the visa or, later, ETIAS. The system automatically records stays against the 90-days-in-180 limit.
Before departure
Confirm whether your nationality needs a visa, passport validity and blank pages, accommodation and financial evidence, and the margin between arrival and any connection. Visa, EES and ETIAS are three different layers of the journey.
Editorial responsibility and change log
Publication team: FRA9 · Editorial lead: Pınar Mehmet
No completed specialist review is recorded for this page.
- — Publication content or page information changed; this date does not indicate a new source check.
- — Publication content or page information changed; this date does not indicate a new source check.
Read next
