The forthcoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), set to be implemented in 2026, represents a significant development in European travel regulations. The system will require travellers from visa-exempt countries, including the UK, to obtain an ETIAS authorisation before visiting Schengen Area countries. ETIAS aims to enhance security and streamline border controls, ensuring a smoother and more secure experience.
The Entry Exit System (EES) is also being introduced as part of the European Union's broader efforts to improve the monitoring of third-country nationals (non-EU citizens) who enter and exit the Schengen Area.
The roll out of EES has been delayed (originally planned for 10th November). No new date has been confirmed.
The EU's new Entry Exit System is a new digital border system that is being introduced as part of the Union’s broader efforts to modernise its border controls, combat terrorism, improve border security, and reduce illegal migration by monitoring of non-EU citizens entering, exiting and transiting through the Schengen Area.
The Entry Exit System will take effect in October 2025 providing there are no further delays to its rollout.
The way you travel to the EU will change. British passport holders will be affected by these changes. The UK government has been working closely with the European Commission, member states, local authorities and the travel industry to prepare UK travel hubs for the EES, ensuring the process is easy to use and accessible to all.
The manual stamping of passports when arriving and leaving a Schengen member state will be replaced by a new digital border system. By providing your biometric information (facial images and fingerprints), the system can digitally track your movements in and out of the Schengen Area.
Primary purpose: To modernise border controls, combat identity fraud, terrorism and serious organised crime, improve border security and efficiency, and reduce illegal migration by tracking the entry and exit of third-country nationals (non-EU citizens) visiting the Schengen Area , monitoring their stay duration and abolishing the need for manual passport stamping.
Implementation date: October 2025 (providing there are no further delays)
Data collected: You will need to manually provide biometric information including facial images and fingerprints. Other data that will be collected includes passport information (incl name, date of birth, nationality), address, contact information, entry and exit dates and places, and past criminal convictions.
Data security: All data collected will be securely stored in the EES database, protected against abuse and restricted in access to specific staff within national authorities. Your data cannot be transferred to third parties except those at national border, visa and immigration authorities and Europol.
Who's affected? All non-EU citizens including British nationals. Children under the age of 12 will only need to provide facial images.
Cost: No fee
The EES is possibly the biggest change to continental travel in decades so it's important that you are aware of the changes. Ultimately, the EES replaces the manual stamping of passports (except when travelling to Cyprus and Ireland) and electronically tracks travellers' movements in and out of the EU.
Data will be collected when travellers arrive at EU border control. However, juxtaposed French border force officials will be stationed at Dover and Folkestone (to avoid delays at disembarkation) so checks take place in the UK before boarding. At all other ports, the checks will take place on arrival into the EU.
As current peak days at Dover can see two hour queues for passport control, travellers should prepare for long delays. Make sure to plan ahead, bring adequate refreshments etc. There are plans to have toilet facilities and pet exercise areas available as needed. In Dover, passport control will remain before the ferry operator check-in so make sure to allow plenty of time when planning your journey.
There are plans for a future app which will allow this information to be submitted in advance of travel, but this is not expected to be ready for the planned launch date.
The European Travel Information Authorisation System, known as ETIAS, is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of the following European countries:
Austria; Belgium; Bulgaria; Croatia; Cyprus; Czechia; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; France; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Latvia; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Malta; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland.
With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
Primary purpose: To improve security for border agents in EU member states by capturing data on non-EU travellers before they enter the Schengen area and ensuring they do not pose a risk to the security of any EU country. In turn, it will also help improve processing times for travellers at the border by providing agents with the information they need ahead of time.
Implementation date: expected 2026 (no date given yet)
Data collected: Name, date of birth, nationality, address, passport information, contact information, previous travel to conflict zones, past criminal convictions.
Data security: All data collected will be stored securely in the ETIAS central system. The system is run by national authorities of all EU countries under the ETIAS system, working with agencies including Europol.
Who's affected? Any citizens from a non-EU country who do not currently need a visa to visit an EU member state for a short-term stay require ETIAS for entry.
Cost: ETIAS will cost €7 EUR for individuals between the ages of 18 and 70. For persons under the age of 18, or over 70, a fee will not be charged but you must still apply.
Validity: The ETIAS will be valid for three years, or the date of passport expiry (whichever comes first), and can be used for stays of up to 90 days in a 180 day period.
If you are a citizen of a visa-exempt country and you plan to travel to the Schengen Area, you will need to apply for an ETIAS prior to travelling. You will need to complete an online application form and pay a fee of €7. The application form will ask for basic personal information, travel document information, and travel plans. You will also need to answer a few questions about your security and health history. Once you have submitted your application, it will be processed automatically. In most cases, you will receive a decision within minutes. If your application is approved, you will receive an ETIAS travel authorisation which is valid for three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first. Your ETIAS is digitally linked to your passport (or other official travel document).
You will need to apply for an ETIAS no matter your age (including infants travelling on their parent's passport), although if you are aged under 18 or over 70 years of age, you won't need to pay the €7 fee.
Travel agents will be able to apply for an ETIAS on behalf on customers. However, both parties must fill in a declaration of representation beforehand.
We understand that you'll have lots of questions about this as it's a big change to how we travel to mainland Europe. We are monitoring this situation and working closely with ABTA and the FCDO to bring you the latest information. We expect the EU to launch a large-scale information campaign soon to prepare UK holidaymakers for the changes.
We have been reliably informed by ABTA that the biometric data is only captured at the point of entry. The EU will, for a while, operate a dual system for those that have had the information captured on the way in and for those who haven't. Therefore, if you arrive in the EU prior to the implementation of EES, you will have your passport stamped on entry and exit.
Yes, you will need to provide biometric information (fingerprints and facial photos) and some details of your trip. At London St Pancras' Eurostar terminal, this will be done by inputting information into self-service kiosks with human assistance available. We're not yet completely sure how the system will work at the Port of Dover and Folkestone's Eurotunnel terminal. However, we are aware that preparations to expand the Port of Dover are underway with the recently redeveloped Western Docks providing additional processing space and freeing up the Eastern Docks and road network.
Just as you currently have to go through formal checks at airports, checks will be introduced at ports and international rail hubs. Three locations in the UK have juxtaposed border controls, with French police conducting checks on British soil. These are located at the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel's terminal at Folkestone, and the Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras.
On first registration, you must provide fingerprint checks and a biometric facial scan. On subsequent registrations within the following three years, you will only need to provide a biometric facial scan. Each new visit triggers another three years of validity, until the expiry date of your passport. Upon using a new passport, you will need to provide new fingerprint and facial biometrics.
However, all this new red tape is expected to add time to your check in process. There is talk of a relief valve which will involve reducing the number of people that will be required to provide biometric data to just one in 10 if queues build up.
You will be asked to provide the following information upon applying:
You will not be required to provide photos.
We're not sure yet. ABTA is currently seeking further information in regards to what accessibility support will be available.
In most cases, ETIAS will be approved in minutes. In very rare cases, it can take up to 30 days to receive a decision.
All ETIAS application fees are non-refundable. Once you have submitted your application for processing and paid your fee, regardless of the outcome, no refunds are given.
As EU nationals, Irish citizens are exempt from both ETIAS and EES. Manual passport stamping will still be required upon arrival and departure from Ireland for those who are not exempt.
ABTA recommends that you apply at least 30 days before travelling.
We understand that sometimes you may book last minute holidays or personal situations may require you to travel at short notice, in these cases, you should apply for an ETIAS as approval is usually issued within minutes. If it is not, you will not be able to travel. However, it has been highlighted that after the initial entry into force, there will be a six-month transitional period during which ETIAS will be optional. Following the transitional period, there will also be an additional six months during which first-time travellers will be exempt from having an ETIAS. After the end of the grace period, a valid ETIAS will be required to travel.
Yes, you will need to apply for an ETIAS whether you are arriving by air, rail or sea.
We are expecting major ports in the UK and France to experience delays upon implementation of EES and ETIAS however, the Port of Dover and French Border Authorities have implemented measures, such as additional frontier supervisors and a Coach Processing Facility, to mitigate potential delays.
In the long term, the passengers travelling to the EU will benefit from the introduction of EES, as the system will replace the manual stamping of passports by border guards.
Yes, both the EES and ETIAS are large-scale IT systems aimed at enhancing security at Schengen's borders and will grant access to security systems such as Interpol and Europol.
Further details on how the EU manages interoperability between these security systems and safeguarding personal data can be found here.
Your ETIAS links to your unique travel document details, including your passport number. As each passport number is unique, you must apply for a new ETIAS with details of your new passport.
You must make a new ETIAS application if any of the following details change: first name(s); surname; gender; nationality.
If your passport is lost or stolen, your ETIAS travel authorisation will be cancelled. You must immediately report that the passport has been lost or stolen to the local authorities and speak with your country’s Consulate to issue you with new travel documents. Once you have these travel documents, you need to apply for a new ETIAS travel authorisation with these new details.
There is no need to bring a printed copy of your travel authorisation document or screenshot your application confirmation. Since the ETIAS is an electronic travel authorisation, relevant authorities and carriers will be able to confirm its validity through their own systems. For your own peace of mind, you can make a note of your approved authorisation number, as well as regularly check the status of your authorisation to ensure it remains valid and up-to-date.
If you have a previous criminal conviction, the status of your application will depend on the severity of your crime. A minor driving conviction is unlikely to cause any issues.
In most cases, a country is more concerned about the threat of terrorism or crimes committed within its own borders and a minor criminal conviction that occurred sometime in the past is of little concern or interest to the security forces.
Fake websites
There are currently more than 60 unofficial websites offering ETIAS, despite the system not yet being live. Avoid using an unofficial website: there’s the risk that you will be overcharged, that you won’t get an ETIAS and that your personal information could be stolen. Frontex and the European Commission are currently working to spread awareness of fake websites.
Further information
You can find the latest information on ABTA's website. We expect the EU to launch a dedicated information campaign prior to implementation, more information on that will be available on the dedicated ETIAS website. If you have questions that we haven't answered here, please contact us and we will do our best to find out more.
