Following our recent alert about potential ETIAS scams targeting UK residents, we want to provide essential information for schools and educational institutions planning trips to European Union countries. While the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) isn’t yet a requirement for all nationalities, understanding its future implications is crucial for smooth travel planning.
What is ETIAS and When Will it Affect School Trips?
As previously mentioned, ETIAS is a new electronic travel authorisation system being introduced by the European Union. Once fully implemented, it will require citizens from over 60 non-EU countries, who currently enjoy visa-free travel to the Schengen Area, to obtain an ETIAS authorisation before their journey.
While the exact timeline can be subject to change, the EU anticipates the ETIAS system to become operational towards the end of 2026, following the rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES) expected to begin in October 2025 and be phased in over six months.
Key Considerations for School Trip Organisers
Nationality of Students and Staff
The primary factor determining if ETIAS will be required is the nationality of the students and accompanying staff. If your group includes individuals who are not citizens of an EU member state or one of the ETIAS-exempt countries, they will likely need to apply for ETIAS once the system is active.
Timing of Your Trip
If your school trip is planned for before the end of 2026, ETIAS will likely not be a requirement for any non-EU nationals in your group who currently benefit from visa-free travel. However, for trips planned for late 2026 onwards, it’s essential to factor in the ETIAS application process.
Duration of Stay
ETIAS will be required for short stays in the Schengen Area, typically up to 90 days within a 180-day period. Most school trips fall within this duration.
Official Application Process
Once ETIAS is operational, applications will need to be submitted via the official EU website:
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en. Be sure to bookmark this official source and avoid unofficial websites.
Application Timeline
While the exact processing time is yet to be fully confirmed, it’s advisable to encourage students and staff who will require ETIAS to apply well in advance of the planned travel dates to avoid any last-minute complications.
Cost of ETIAS
The official fee for ETIAS will be €7 for applicants between the ages of 18 and 70. For school groups, it’s important to factor this potential cost into the overall budget for eligible individuals. Individuals under 18 and over 70 will be exempt from the fee.
Planning Ahead and Building ETIAS into your School Trip Process
Again, we highly recommend you keep up to date with the introduction of ETIAS here on the official website: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en. Be sure to only trust information from this source as fraudsters are taking advantage of this new process.
Once active, we’d highly recommend building the ETIAS application process into your school trip planning and communications timeline.
