Which nationalities will be required to hold ETIAS and which documents or residency statuses are exempt?
Executive summary
ETIAS will be required for nationals of visa‑exempt third countries — the travellers who currently enter the Schengen/ETIAS countries without a visa — and will not be required for EU/Schengen nationals, certain associated states and a set of specific travel documents or residence statuses; the EU’s official guidance and multiple ETIAS guidance sites stress that the system applies to short‑stay, visa‑exempt visitors and that exemptions depend on nationality and the travel document presented [1] [2] [3].
1. Who will be required to hold an ETIAS: nationals of visa‑exempt third countries
The core rule is simple: citizens of the roughly 59–60 countries whose nationals today enter the Schengen/ETIAS area visa‑free will need to obtain an ETIAS pre‑travel authorisation for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180‑day period) once the system is operational [4] [5] [6]. That group explicitly includes large nationality blocs such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan and many others commonly described in ETIAS rollouts; ETIAS guidance sites list those visa‑exempt countries and explain that their nationals must apply before travel [2] [5].
2. Nationalities and territories that are not subject to ETIAS
EU citizens and nationals of Schengen member states are exempt from ETIAS, as are the European microstates traditionally treated differently — Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City — and Ireland, which is outside Schengen and does not plan to require ETIAS [1] [3] [7]. The EFTA/associated Schengen states (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland) are also treated as exempt in practice because their nationals travel freely within Schengen and do not need ETIAS [7] [1]. Official EU pages underscore that if one nationality in a traveller’s multiple nationalities is an EU/Schengen one, the traveller should use that travel document to avoid needing ETIAS [3].
3. Travel documents and residence statuses that exempt a non‑EU national from ETIAS
Non‑EU nationals who already hold valid long‑term Schengen residence permits, residence cards or type D national long‑stay visas issued by an EU/Schengen state are generally exempt from ETIAS when travelling within the ETIAS area, because they already have legal residence rights that supersede the short‑stay authorisation requirement [7] [8] [9]. Refugee or stateless persons holding travel documents issued by an EU/Schengen country, and family members of EU nationals who hold the appropriate residence card or documents under free‑movement rules, are also listed among exemptions in official and specialist guidance [10] [9].
4. Other document‑based exemptions: diplomatic, crew, transit and visa holders
Certain categories based on the type of travel document are excluded: holders of diplomatic or official passports covered by international agreements, airport transit passengers, and crew members are among the groups listed as exempt in EU summaries and public encyclopaedia entries [1] [10]. Conversely, nationals who require a Schengen visa already (i.e., visa‑required nationalities) are not covered by ETIAS and must continue to apply for a visa rather than an ETIAS authorisation [10] [8].
5. Dual citizenship, Brexit’s Withdrawal Agreement and tricky edges
Dual citizens must choose which passport to use: presenting an EU or Schengen passport exempts the holder from ETIAS, while using a non‑EU passport that is visa‑exempt obliges an ETIAS application [11] [7]. UK nationals who are beneficiaries of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and hold the uniform Withdrawal Agreement residence document are explicitly exempt when travelling based on that status, a point reiterated in EU guidance [3] [10]. Guidance repeatedly cautions travellers to carry the same travel document they used to apply for ETIAS and to verify consulate information if circumstances are unusual [3] [6].
6. Practical caveats, timetable and what reporting does not resolve
Official sources place ETIAS rollout in the mid‑to‑late 2026 window with transitional and grace periods and note the €20 fee (with fee exemptions for minors, seniors and some family members) and carrier verification rules ahead of departure; however, exact start dates and the final annex list of visa‑exempt countries are matters to watch on EU official pages and national consular advice [6] [1] [9]. Reporting and industry guides converge on the essentials above but differ in presentation and occasional detail; where a specific nationality or corner case is not enumerated in these sources, reliance should be placed on the EU’s official lists and consular confirmations rather than secondary summaries [3] [8].