The EU is upgrading how Schengen external borders work, including the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). If you travel visa-free, these changes will shape border checks and advance screening.
The EU is preparing to roll out its new Entry/Exit System for non-EU visitors. Here is what the biometric border process means for travellers, where delays may appear and why privacy advocates are watching closely.
Many British travellers still focus on ETIAS headlines and overlook the rules already in force. In practice, passport age, remaining validity, short-stay limits and supporting documents are the details most likely to disrupt a trip today.
European travel in 2025 comes with more rules, fees and capacity controls. From Spain's tighter rental policies to new taxes in major destinations, travellers should plan ahead to avoid unexpected costs and access restrictions.
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.
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.
The UK is preparing to increase the cost of its Electronic Travel Authorisation from £10 to £16, while exempting some transit passengers. The proposed change has triggered concern across the travel industry and could affect how visitors plan UK trips in 2025.
Airlines are warning that the UK's planned ETA fee increase could make the country less competitive for international visitors. The criticism comes just as the new digital travel permission is being introduced more widely.
IATA has publicly opposed the UK's plan to raise the ETA fee by 60% only days after the system's wider introduction. The group says the move clashes with tourism growth goals and adds another cost on top of existing air travel taxes.
At the start of 2025, the central message for British travellers was that the EU's next border changes were still delayed. The Entry/Exit System had to come first, and the later ETIAS permit could only follow once that system had been fully running for months.