Visa-free travel will be paid for: Ukrainians will be obliged to pay for entering EU from end of 2026
Starting from the end of 2026, Ukrainian citizens' travels to the European Union will be governed by new rules: they will have to obtain an electronic permit with mandatory payment in advance. It is about the launch of the ETIAS pre-authorization system, which actually changes the usual mechanism of visa-free travel.
Journalist Kateryna Soliar announced this on Instagram.
Paid permit for traveling to the EU
After the launch of ETIAS, Ukrainians, like citizens of other visa-free countries, will be required to apply for a paid electronic permit before each trip to the European Union. The system provides for mandatory online pre-authorization for all travelers.
The application fee will be EUR 20 (approximately UAH 1,016). There is no provision for issuing a permit for a family or group - each person must apply separately. Some publications mention the amount of EUR 7, but official sources confirm that the fee is EUR 20.
For how long will ETIAS be issued
The electronic permit will be valid for three years or until the expiration of the passport. It will allow multiple entries to 30 EU countries, including the Schengen countries, as well as Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Romania.
It will be possible to pay for the permit exclusively online - with a bank card through the official website of the ETIAS system.
Important nuances for travelers
The application will be reviewed only after payment is made. The paid fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. If the applicant is denied an entry permit or an error is made in the data (for example, a passport number or name is incorrect), the permit will be canceled and the procedure will have to be repeated with a new payment
Thus, from the end of 2026, visa-free travel for Ukrainians to the EU will formally remain, but will become paid and require mandatory prior online registration of the permit.
On October 12, the European Union started implementing a new biometric control system (EES).