ETIAS visa waver

I was just researching this. Last quarter of 2026 is what I keep finding. There is no application at this time. What you MAY have to do is EES, and this can only be done in-person at the first airport you disembark in the Schengen/EU. It requires your passport, you get fingerprinted, all at a kiosk. It looks fairly simple, and this is then part of the ETIAS if and when that is implemented.

More info here.

I think someone posted a link to a YouTube video of a British journalist who documented his experience using an airport kiosk to get the EES...you'll have to search the forum.

"Are you sure this is true?"

It's on the EU website site, so of course it's true.

https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

"am I supposed find an application and apply and pay a fee or can I just not care and I will get in without the ETIAS"

Given that it won't be introduced until the last quarter of the year, you won't be able to apply for it.

You don't need to do anything re ETIAS, and there's nothing to be concerned about.

Finally, picking up on the comment about EES, this is very simple - you register your biometrics at the kiosks at the airport. I did mine in Barcelona a few weeks ago, and it took no more than a couple of minutes.

Both my trips in 2026 will take place, ie finished by the time summer is over, prior to the last quarter of 2026, ie from Oct. 2026.

No need to be concerned about ETIAS until presumably the next announcement.

Please be aware that the link shared by Rebecca is that of a 3rd party commercial website and not the official EU website about ETIAS and EES.
The official EU website is the site already shared by Simon; https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias

Apologies for linking to a 3rd party site, I should know better on this forum lol. I just thought it was comprehensive, well-explained and did not seem to contain any links to products, etc...

“ I just thought it was comprehensive, well-explained and did not seem to contain any links to products, etc...”

There aren’t any links to products yet, because ETIAS is not yet in place and therefore there’s nothing to sell yet. When ETIAS becomes effective the website you linked to will become one of these websites pretending to be the real deal and overcharging people to have them apply for their ETIAS.
ETA for the UK is already in place and there are numerous reports on this forum from people who fell for a commercial website and overpaid for their ETA.

If you are an American, check the US State Department travel page for the country (or countries) you are visiting. It will provide exactly what you need to enter the country under the "Entry, Exit, and Visa Requirements" section. Select where you're going on this page: https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel.html