The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System is foreseen for October 2025 after earlier delays. Operators at Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel say they are preparing infrastructure, but uncertainty over the exact launch date keeps queue concerns in focus.
A valid ETIAS is required for many visa-free travellers, but it is not a guarantee of admission at the border. Entry still depends on travel document checks, border questions and compliance with the rules for short stays.
ETIAS and the Entry/Exit System are often discussed together, but they do not do the same job. One is a pre-travel authorisation, while the other is a border registration system used when travellers actually arrive.
The EU Entry/Exit System replaces manual passport stamping with a shared digital record for many short-stay non-EU travellers. It combines biometric registration, automated checks and a phased rollout designed to modernise border management across the Schengen area.
The EU’s long-planned Entry/Exit System is facing another delay, leaving many travellers unsure about when the new border checks will begin. Here is a clear overview of what the EES is, who it affects, and how it could change travel to the Schengen Area.
The EU's new Entry/Exit System will change how non-EU travellers cross Schengen borders. Here is what the EES means, who it affects and why launch delays were still being discussed.
Spain remains one of Europe's top summer destinations, but 2025 brings tighter entry checks, changing tourist taxes and stricter local conduct rules. Here is a clear guide to what travellers should prepare before arriving.
Queuing times at French borders could double or even triple when the EU's digital Entry/Exit System launches, requiring fingerprints and photographs from all British travellers for the first time.
Dover's boss sounds the alarm: new EU biometric requirements could paralyse western Europe's busiest passenger port. Here is everything travellers need to know about the post-Brexit border upheaval.
Travel in Europe is changing in 2026. From digital border checks and new entry permits to rising tourist taxes and stricter rules on visitor behavior, travelers should prepare for a more regulated and more expensive experience across the continent.