In August 2024, European Commissioner Ylva Johansson confirmed that the Entry/Exit System was on track for a November 2024 start, with ETIAS to follow six months later. This article reflects the reporting at that time — note that the EES eventually launched in October 2025 and the ETIAS fee was confirmed at €20, not the €7 cited here.
The Guardian issued a correction in July 2025 confirming that the ETIAS visa waiver will cost €20 when it is introduced, not the €7 figure cited in earlier reporting. This article explains what the €20 fee covers, who is exempt, and when the system is expected to go live.
The Council's 2018 adoption of the ETIAS regulation created the legal basis for the EU's planned pre-travel screening system. It clarified who would need an authorisation, how applications would be checked and why approval would still not guarantee entry.
Misinformation about ETIAS is widespread. From which countries require it to how long it is valid, many common claims are simply wrong. Here are seven myths — and the facts behind them.
The EU is introducing EES in phases, and that gradual start is meant to reduce disruption. Even so, airports and UK-Channel routes still face queue risks during peak holiday travel.
When the EU Entry/Exit System takes effect, British passport holders will for the first time need to provide biometric data at European borders. This article, written in late 2023, previews what the new checks will require and what the processing challenges could look like at key UK departure points.
The EU's Entry/Exit System was pushed back once more in July 2024, shifting its expected October launch to at least November. The delay, driven partly by French concerns over capacity, continued a years-long pattern of postponements for the biometric border programme.
The EU's Entry/Exit System started a phased rollout on 12 October 2025, introducing biometric checks at Schengen borders for non-EU nationals. Full implementation is expected by April 2026.
Five years after the UK left the EU, mobility remains possible but less frictionless. New border routines, document checks, and incoming digital authorisation systems are reshaping how people move between Britain and Europe.
Discover the security procedures and checks that apply to different categories of travellers entering or leaving the Schengen Area, and how systems like EES and ETIAS streamline the process.