Brazilian businesses planning short-term trips to Europe face a sudden hike in compliance costs after the European Union confirmed on 29 December that the fee for its long-awaited European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will rise from €7 to €20 when the programme finally launches in the fourth quarter of 2026. The announcement—published by Brazilian news portal SEGS—comes as the EU finalises technical rules for the scheme, which will be mandatory for visa-exempt nationals from 30 Schengen-area countries.
Though ETIAS is not a visa, travellers must obtain the digital authorisation before boarding a flight or cruise to Europe. The authorisation will be valid for three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Once live, Brazilian nationals who currently enjoy 90-day visa-free access will have to complete the online application and pay the new €20 fee regardless of trip purpose.
For corporate mobility managers the cost increase is only part of the story. ETIAS links directly into the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), meaning overstays will be calculated automatically. Companies sending frequent commuters to EU clients may need to tighten 90/180-day tracking to avoid fines or re-entry bans. Travellers who change passports mid-authorisation must also re-apply and pay again.
![EU treble-s ETIAS fee to €20: Brazilian corporates told to budget for higher travel costs]()
Businesses that prefer to outsource these new administrative chores can turn to VisaHQ, whose Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) already provides real-time ETIAS updates and will offer bulk filing tools, payment consolidation and automated passport-expiry alerts once the system launches—helping HR teams keep projects on schedule while staying compliant.
Travel-management companies estimate that a project team of ten engineers rotating to Germany every two months could generate €400 in ETIAS fees per year under the old tariff, but €1,140 after the increase—costs that may need to be built into project budgets. Firms are therefore urged to update cost projections and educate employees well ahead of the 2026 go-live.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is monitoring the situation but has no immediate plans to introduce a reciprocal fee. Industry groups such as Braztoa and ABRACORP have called on the EU to offer corporate-account functionality or multi-traveller payment options to ease the administrative burden on large employers.
Though ETIAS is not a visa, travellers must obtain the digital authorisation before boarding a flight or cruise to Europe. The authorisation will be valid for three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Once live, Brazilian nationals who currently enjoy 90-day visa-free access will have to complete the online application and pay the new €20 fee regardless of trip purpose.
For corporate mobility managers the cost increase is only part of the story. ETIAS links directly into the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), meaning overstays will be calculated automatically. Companies sending frequent commuters to EU clients may need to tighten 90/180-day tracking to avoid fines or re-entry bans. Travellers who change passports mid-authorisation must also re-apply and pay again.
Businesses that prefer to outsource these new administrative chores can turn to VisaHQ, whose Brazil portal (https://www.visahq.com/brazil/) already provides real-time ETIAS updates and will offer bulk filing tools, payment consolidation and automated passport-expiry alerts once the system launches—helping HR teams keep projects on schedule while staying compliant.
Travel-management companies estimate that a project team of ten engineers rotating to Germany every two months could generate €400 in ETIAS fees per year under the old tariff, but €1,140 after the increase—costs that may need to be built into project budgets. Firms are therefore urged to update cost projections and educate employees well ahead of the 2026 go-live.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is monitoring the situation but has no immediate plans to introduce a reciprocal fee. Industry groups such as Braztoa and ABRACORP have called on the EU to offer corporate-account functionality or multi-traveller payment options to ease the administrative burden on large employers.
