UK Citizens Heading to Europe Will Face New EES Entry Checks and an ETIAS Requirement

UK citizens travelling to the EU next summer will have to pay a €7 visa-waiver charge after the EU set out its timeline for new border checks and entry requirements. Ylva Johansson, the EU home affairs commissioner, confirmed that the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) was now likely to come into force by May 2025.

ETIAS will work much like the United States' ESTA, requiring non-EU citizens from visa-exempt countries to apply for the €7 authorisation before entering the Schengen area. The waiver will last for three years, or until the holder's passport expires.

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A firm date for EES and a six-month window for ETIAS

The timeline came as the EU confirmed that its long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) for Schengen countries would launch on 10 November 2024. "After intense dialogues with member states, with you, with the different stakeholders, I have decided that the EES will enter into operations on 10 November," Johansson told staff working on the rollout.

She added that ETIAS would follow about six months later, which means adults might have to start applying for the visa-waiver by May next year — potentially affecting families travelling during the May half-term. The EES was originally supposed to begin in 2022 and has missed several target dates; its most recent launch date of 6 October was pushed back over concerns about the readiness of facilities at some airports.

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New biometric checks at the border

The EES will require travellers to provide biometric information, such as fingerprints and facial scans, at the border. It is part of an EU drive to make it harder for criminals or people using fake passports to enter the bloc. For UK travellers, that means new checks when crossing through the Port of Dover, on LeShuttle in Folkestone, and on the Eurostar through London's St Pancras.

The €7 ETIAS will also require an online application with personal details such as your address, employment and any criminal convictions, plus contact information for your destination. Most applicants will be approved within minutes, though some decisions may take between 48 and 72 hours. Travellers under 18 or over 70 will be exempt from the charge, while those visiting Ireland or Cyprus will not need an ETIAS as those countries sit outside the Schengen area.

The EU has also said it will run a six-month transitional period after ETIAS is introduced, during which travellers are expected to apply but will not automatically be refused entry if they lack the waiver yet still meet the other entry conditions. For a fuller picture of how these systems fit together, see our ETIAS overview.