Upcoming changes for travel to Europe

The European Union is introducing two important changes for travel to Europe. These are:

• EU Entry/Exit System (EES)
• European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

The EU has planned a phased launch for EES starting on 12 October 2025.

You won’t need an ETIAS for travel this year, as the EU is looking to introduce ETIAS towards the end of 2026, however, you can expect some changes when entering a country in the EU or Schengen area from 12 October 2025 onwards.

EU Entry/Exit Scheme (EES)

The EU Entry/Exit system is a new electronic system that will replace the physical stamping of passports when you go through passport control when arriving in and departing from your destination. It will register all entries and exits to and from the participating European countries, which basically means it will register your movements every time you cross a border in or out of the EU/Schengen area.

Once the new system is live, when you go through passport control on your arrival to, and departure from your destination, as well as providing your passport you will also need to have a photo of your face taken, and your fingerprints scanned.

Who will it apply to?

It will apply to those travelling for a short stay, from what the EU call a ‘third country’. This applies to people who are not an EU citizen or a citizen of the Schengen area. Therefore, it will apply to most people travelling from the UK.

A short stay refers to visits, holidays or business trips that have a duration of up to 90 days and are taken within a 180-day period. The vast majority of travel between the UK and Europe will be classed as a short stay.

Irish passport holders are exempt from EES. If you are a British passport holder but have the right to reside in the EU, you are also exempt from EES. However, you may need to show proof of your EU Withdrawal Agreement document on entering or exiting a country in the EU/Schengen.

People of all ages will need to go through the EES checks, however children under 12 will not need to provide fingerprints but they will need to have a facial scan taken.

Which countries will it apply to:

These are the countries that will be participating in the EES:

In Cyprus and Ireland, despite being countries of the European Union, passports will still be stamped manually.

Whilst Greenland and the Faroe Islands maintain some semi-autonomous rules of their own, they are primarily governed by Denmark, so EES rules may also apply when entering or exiting these regions.

Travelling via the Port of Dover or international train (London St Pancras and Folkestone)

In most cases, the EES checks will take place in Europe – when you arrive at your destination airport or port, and when you leave at the end of your trip.

However, if you are departing via the Port of Dover or via an international train from the UK (London St Pancras and Folkestone), then these checks will happen when going through passport control in the UK, on your departure.

This is because there is a dual border (both British and French) – at these locations.

However, you won’t need to do these checks again when you arrive on the other side.

Travelling on a cruise

If you are travelling on a cruise and stopping at any of the European countries participating in EES, whether you need to go through the EES system will depend on your where your cruise starts and where the itinerary ends.

If the cruise departure is from a UK port and returns to a UK port, you will not need to complete the EES registration.

Passengers travelling on a cruise will not need to do EES entry or exit checks for day trips within the EU that are part their itinerary.

If you are flying to a European country to pick up a cruise, you will complete the EES process at your arrival airport. If your cruise ends in an EU country, your exit information will be captured at the border check of the country you are flying home from.

European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

ETIAS is the EU’s new travel authorisation which you will need to apply for ahead of your travel to the 30 European/Schengen countries listed above once the system is introduced. It is a similar concept to the USA’s ESTA and the UK’s ETA scheme.

You won’t need an ETIAS for travel this year. The EU is looking to introduce ETIAS towards the end of 2026.

When implemented, travellers will be able to apply for an ETIAS by the official website: www.europa.eu/etias

As the system is not yet live, the website is not accepting applications yet, so you cannot yet get an official ETIAS but please visit the website for up-to-date news on launch dates. Any other websites claiming to offer that they can accept ETIAS applications at this time are not legitimate, and should be treated with caution.