With the EU's Entry/Exit System rolling out from 12 October, many travellers heading to Germany this autumn are unsure what extra scrutiny they will face. The early reality is likely to be patchy rather than dramatic.
From 12 October 2025, British tourists heading to the EU faced new biometric border checks under the Entry/Exit System, with full rollout expected by April 2026. Travellers also needed proof of insurance, funds and accommodation — and from 2026 an ETIAS authorisation too.
The UK government says its post-Brexit reset deal will let British holidaymakers use more e-gates in Europe and avoid long border queues. The reality is more complicated, and being able to use an e-gate is not the same as rejoining the fast-track lane.
The Port of Dover says the EU's Entry/Exit System will add only minutes to motorists' journeys, not the hours some had feared. A new registration compound and an AI-monitored ‘continental corridor' are central to the plan.
The government of Guernsey has finally corrected years of misleading advice about passport expiry for travel to Europe. The episode is a useful reminder of the two simple rules that genuinely apply to British passport holders.
EU ministers have cleared the way for the Entry/Exit System to launch in autumn 2025. Here is what the new digital border will change for non-EU visitors, and the concerns it still raises.
Years after Brexit, a European holiday still trips up seasoned travellers, with confusion swirling around passports, the length of a stay and a forthcoming permit called ETIAS. Here is a clear guide to what actually applied in early 2025 and the myths that keep catching people out.
The European Union has long promised that its "entry-exit system" (EES) is about to start, with the ETIAS travel permit due to follow. After a string of conflicting announcements from Brussels, here is a plain-English guide to what is planned and when.
When the European Commission published its ETIAS proposal in 2016, it was careful to stress that the scheme was not a reaction to Brexit. It had been expected for years and was modelled on the United States' ESTA. Here is how the original plan was framed.
Since leaving the EU, British travellers are treated as third-country nationals at Schengen borders, with stamped passports, a 90-day limit and, soon, biometric checks. Here is a plain guide to what is changing and when.