The European Commission has confirmed that the long-delayed European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will now cost €20—nearly triple the originally proposed €7—when it goes live in late 2026. Although the change is EU-wide, Czech companies hosting frequent third-country visitors must absorb the cost sooner than expected.
Unlike a visa, ETIAS is an electronic pre-screen valid for three years, covering visa-exempt travellers such as U.K., U.S. and Canadian nationals. Czech inbound-mobility specialists estimate that the higher fee could add roughly €12,000 annually for a mid-sized multinational that brings 2,000 visitors a year for training or project work. Finance teams are therefore revising 2026 mobility budgets during the current planning cycle.
Legal advisers also warn that travellers aged 18–70 must pay, whereas minors and seniors are exempt—requiring nuanced expense-policy wording. HR departments should communicate that ETIAS approval, while usually instantaneous, can take up to 96 hours, so last-minute trips may need contingency plans.
The Czech Border Police say they are upgrading passport-control booths at Václav Havel Airport to interface with ETIAS and the parallel Entry/Exit System. Pilot testing will begin in Q2 2026, giving corporations about a year to integrate new data fields into travel-booking tools.
Unlike a visa, ETIAS is an electronic pre-screen valid for three years, covering visa-exempt travellers such as U.K., U.S. and Canadian nationals. Czech inbound-mobility specialists estimate that the higher fee could add roughly €12,000 annually for a mid-sized multinational that brings 2,000 visitors a year for training or project work. Finance teams are therefore revising 2026 mobility budgets during the current planning cycle.
Legal advisers also warn that travellers aged 18–70 must pay, whereas minors and seniors are exempt—requiring nuanced expense-policy wording. HR departments should communicate that ETIAS approval, while usually instantaneous, can take up to 96 hours, so last-minute trips may need contingency plans.
The Czech Border Police say they are upgrading passport-control booths at Václav Havel Airport to interface with ETIAS and the parallel Entry/Exit System. Pilot testing will begin in Q2 2026, giving corporations about a year to integrate new data fields into travel-booking tools.
