Brits heading to popular holiday destinations such as Spain may soon be turned away if they fail to obtain a certain document.
New post-Brexit rules state that UK passport holders will need this document before travelling to any part of the Schengen area, which includes 25 EU countries and four other nations.
EU bosses have revealed that the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), a new travel permit, is being introduced to enhance security and strengthen the borders of the Schengen zone.
The scheme has been delayed several times, but according to the latest update, UK travellers won’t require one for EU travel until at least 2027.
The EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs announced earlier this year that the ETIAS will be launched in the last quarter of 2026.
However, due to a transitional and grace period, the necessity to apply for an ETIAS before departure won’t become mandatory until 2027.
The introduction of ETIAS is tied to the deployment of the Entry/Exit System (EES), and each permit will cost 20 euros. After numerous delays, the EU has agreed to gradually implement the EES from October this year.
This phased roll-out allows member states to progressively introduce the new border system over a six-month period.
It will be needed for travel to and between the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
Those travelling to a Schengen area country with a UK passport will be required to register biometric details, including fingerprints or a photograph, when they arrive. The EES registration will take the place of the existing system of manually stamping passports upon entry to the EU.
The ETIAS is linked to a person’s passport and stays valid for three years or until the passport runs out, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you’ll be required to obtain a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
Possessing a valid ETIAS travel authorisation permits multiple entries into participating European countries for short stays, typically up to 90 days within any 180-day period. But, this doesn’t guarantee entry.
At the border, officials will request your passport and other documents to verify you satisfy the entry requirements. Most ETIAS applications are processed and approved “almost immediately”, but mistakes in your application could result in rejection.
Without a valid ETIAS, you could be turned away at the borders of countries like France, Spain and Italy. SchengenVisaInfo has highlighted five potential reasons for an ETIAS application to be rejected:.
- You don’t have a valid passport
- You fail to attend a mandatory interview
- Your application is incomplete
- You are deemed a “risk”
- You have a Schengen Information System (SIS) alert
If your ETIAS application is denied, you have the right to challenge the decision.