The EU has introduced two major changes for travel to Europe: the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) and the upcoming ETIAS travel authorisation. ABTA's guidance breaks down what they are, who they affect and how to prepare.
The EU is rolling out two major changes for visitors: the biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), now operational since 10 April 2026, and ETIAS, the new travel authorisation expected later in 2026. Here is what each means for short stays in Europe.
The Entry/Exit System digitally registers non-EU travellers as they cross the Schengen area's external borders, replacing manual passport stamps with faster biometric checks. Here is how it works.
The European Union is rolling out two new border initiatives, the Entry/Exit System (EES) and ETIAS, that will change how visa-free travellers enter 30 European countries. Here is a plain-language summary of what each one does and when it applies.
Travelling in 2026 is set to become harder, pricier and more bureaucratic, from biometric borders in Europe to new fees on both sides of the Atlantic. Here is a plain-language guide to what is changing and how to plan around it.
Cruise holidaymakers have been left confused by the EU's new Entry/Exit System. The good news: sailings that begin and end at a port outside the Schengen area, such as a UK harbour, are generally exempt from EES checks, including day trips ashore.
The European Union switched on its long-awaited Entry/Exit System on Sunday 12 October 2025, bringing fingerprints and facial scans to the Schengen frontier. Here is what changed for British and other non-EU travellers, and what to expect while the new borders bed in.
From 12 October, the way every non-EU citizen crosses the bloc's external border begins to change as the long-delayed Entry/Exit System starts operating. Here is a clear guide to what the biometric checks involve and where they apply.
Years in the planning and years in postponement, the EU's Entry/Exit System finally arrived in autumn 2025. Reporters tried the new fingerprint kiosks at Eurotunnel and Eurostar to see what the biometric border really involves.
When the EU Entry/Exit System launches on 12 October, biometric checks could quadruple border processing times. An aviation economist has identified the three airports most at risk of passenger gridlock.