Good news for Britons: Europe’s new €20 travel permit faces another delay

British travellers planning a holiday to Spain may have one less piece of paperwork to worry about for now. Europe’s long-awaited ETIAS travel authorisation, the €20 online permit that UK visitors will eventually need for short trips to Spain and most of the Schengen Area, looks increasingly unlikely to become compulsory this year.

Officially, the EU still says ETIAS is due to start operating in the last quarter of 2026 and that travellers do not need to do anything yet. But reports this week suggest the launch could slip into 2027, mainly because Europe is still dealing with the difficult rollout of its separate Entry/Exit System, known as EES.

What the ETIAS delay means for Spain holidays

If you’re planning a holiday to Spain, you don’t need ETIAS just yet.

That means anyone travelling to Spain in the coming months should not be applying for it, paying third-party websites for it, or panicking about being refused boarding because they do not have it.

When ETIAS does arrive, it will apply to visa-exempt travellers, including UK passport holders, visiting participating European countries for short stays. It will be linked to the traveller’s passport and will normally be valid for up to three years, or until the passport expires.

The fee is now set at €20, although children under 18, adults over 70 and some family members of EU citizens are expected to be exempt.

Why ETIAS is being pushed back

The main reason is EES.

EES is the border system that records entries and exits for non-EU short-stay travellers. ETIAS is meant to come after that system is properly in place. But EES has already caused problems at airports and border points, with reports of technical issues, longer processing times and pressure on staff and infrastructure.

That makes launching another system on top of it risky, especially during the summer travel season.

According to the Financial Times, EU officials are now preparing to delay ETIAS until next year, although the European Commission has not yet formally changed the public timetable.

What should travellers do now?

For now, it’s best to wait for official confirmation.

Do not pay for ETIAS through unofficial sites. The EU’s own ETIAS website says no action is required from travellers at this point.

If you are booking a Spain holiday for late 2026 or 2027, keep an eye on the rules closer to departure. ETIAS will not be difficult for most people, but it will be one more step before travelling.

For now, though, the delay is good news for British holidaymakers. Spain may still have new border checks to deal with, but the extra €20 ETIAS permit does not appear to be something travellers need to worry about just yet.