Travel to Europe in 2026 comes with a more detailed checklist than many travellers expect. The EU Entry/Exit System is already rolling out in phases, while ETIAS remains a later requirement that should not be confused with the border process now taking shape.
Europe's Entry/Exit System is no longer a distant policy change but a live operational shift at the border. Travellers should expect an uneven rollout, biometric checks in more locations, and longer queues unless they prepare for a slower process.
Travel rules between the UK and Europe are entering another transition phase in 2025. The UK is widening ETA coverage while the EU prepares ETIAS and EES, making pre-trip checks increasingly important.
By January 2026, the UK ETA had moved from phased rollout to a near-universal pre-travel requirement for most visa-exempt visitors. The practical challenge for travellers was understanding that the permit is easy to obtain in many cases, but still forms part of a stricter document-check system before boarding and at the border.
In early 2023, Spain's tourism industry raised concerns that the planned ETIAS fee could discourage visitors from one of its most important source markets. The warning was aimed not at a system already in force, but at a proposed travel authorisation still expected to arrive later.
Students from visa-free countries planning a short study trip to Europe will need ETIAS before travelling. The key issue is understanding when ETIAS is enough, when a student visa is required, and why the application should only be completed through the official website.
Long before ETIAS became part of routine travel headlines, ABTA was explaining it as an EU proposal modelled in part on ESTA-style pre-travel screening. The key point was that the scheme originated in wider Schengen border policy rather than as a direct response to Brexit.
When ETIAS launches, you will not need to submit the application yourself. A trusted person or travel agent can do it on your behalf — but there are important safeguards to follow.
The EU's revised border-tech timetable made one point clear: ETIAS could not start on its own. Before travellers would need the new online authorisation, the Entry/Exit System had to be built and operating first.
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.