EES and ETIAS: what UK and US travellers need for Europe now

EES and ETIAS: the status today

Two EU systems are often mentioned together, but they’re at different stages.

EES: what happens at the border

The European Commission says EES replaces passport stamping with digital records of entries, exits and refusals of entry, and records travellers’ facial images, fingerprints and details from their passports. It started in stages on 12 October 2025 and became fully operational on 10 April 2026.

GOV.UK says that on your first visit to a Schengen country after EES started, you may be asked to register your details at a special booth: your fingerprints and a photo. Children aged 11 or younger don’t have their fingerprints scanned but may have their photo taken. Your digital EES record is valid for 3 years, so on later trips the check should be quicker.

Allow extra time at the border on your first trip, especially at busy times or when you arrive at a land or sea crossing.

Who EES applies to

EES covers non-EU nationals coming to the Schengen area for short stays, which includes British and American visitors. It doesn’t replace a visa for people who need one, and it doesn’t apply to EU citizens. If you live in an EU country with a residence permit, your rules are different, so check the official guidance for residents.

ETIAS: what’s confirmed and what isn’t

ETIAS is the EU’s planned travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers to 30 European countries, including British and American passport holders. The official ETIAS website says it is currently not in operation, no applications are being collected, and the EU will announce the start date several months before launch.

What is confirmed: the European Commission says the fee will be EUR 20, with people under 18 or over 70 exempt from paying, and the official site says ETIAS will let you stay for up to 90 days. What isn’t confirmed is the start date. Commission news from 2025 expected operations in the last quarter of 2026, but the official site no longer gives a date, and reports of a later start come from unofficial sources. We’ll update this guide when the EU announces the date.

The 90 days in 180 rule

With or without ETIAS, the length of your stay is limited. GOV.UK says British travellers can visit the Schengen area without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and the same Schengen short-stay rule applies to other visa-free visitors, including US citizens. The days are counted across the whole area, not per country, and days from trips in the previous 180 days count too.

If you visit Europe often, use the European Commission’s short-stay calculator before you book, and EES will keep an exact record of your entries and exits.

Passport dates for British travellers

For the Schengen area, GOV.UK says a British passport must meet two conditions:

• Issued less than 10 years before the date you arrive
• Valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave

Before you fly to Europe: a checklist

Run through this before booking a trip to Lisbon, Rome, Paris or Barcelona.

1. 1Check your passport’s issue and expiry dates against the rules above
2. 2Count your days in the Schengen area over the last 180 days if you travel often
3. 3Allow extra time at the border for EES registration on your first trip
4. 4Don’t pay any website for ETIAS until the EU announces it has started
5. 5Check the entry requirements page for each country you visit, linked from our destination guides

Where to go next

Our destination guides for Lisbon, Rome, Paris and Barcelona link to the official entry requirements for each country, and our guide to Europe in shoulder season covers the best months to go. Flying from the US? See flights from New York to Lisbon and New York to Rome.

Questions people ask