00:00British travellers going to the European Union and the wider Schengen area, which includes Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, but excludes Ireland, are going to face some changes at borders.
00:14Here's what's happening. On the 12th of October 2025, the European Union will at last roll out its much delayed entry-exit system. This is designed to bring all of the Schengen area borders together so they are all digitally connected.
00:36And the idea will be that for your first trip, you put your passport into a kiosk. You will then be asked for four fingerprints as well as a facial biometric.
00:49That will involve you still having your passport checked and stamped by an official. So you're going to get kind of double red tape. That will last for six months till the 9th of April 2026.
01:08While this is happening, sometimes you might go through an entry-exit system border. Sometimes you won't. And it will apply on the way in and the way out. But the plan is that by the 9th of April 2026, every border post is connected from that moment onwards.
01:29All those stamps will cease. Everything will become digital. Six months after that, in October 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System will begin.
01:46This is known as ETIAS. It's the same as the American ESTA or the British ETA.
01:53The idea is that before you go to the Schengen area, you are going to have to fill out an online form giving all your personal details, explaining whether you've got a criminal record.
02:08And once you've got that, and hopefully it will be an easy matter for the vast majority of travellers, you'll pay 20 euros, about 17 pounds, and that will be a permit valid for three years or until your passport expires.
02:25For the first six months of ETIAS, so that will be from October 2026 through to April 2027, it's actually not going to be mandatory.
02:38If you meet the other conditions for entering Europe, then you will be allowed through.
02:42But I urge you to get an ETIAS as soon as they become available, because that way there's no chance that the airline is going to stop you travelling.
02:53Finally, by October 2027, it should be the case that everyone will have to have an ETIAS and of course the entry-exit system will be working perfectly.
Be the first to comment