Visa for Brits to enter Europe has been pushed back again

Why has the ETIAS been pushed back?

The European entry/exit system (EES) has been pushed back to October 2025, and the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) can't come into play until six months after this. The scheme has already been pushed back since 2023, and the good news is, we now don't have to worry about it until at least 2026.

What is ETIAS?

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is a bit like the USA's ESTA program and will cover the Schengen Area which is made up of 26 European Union (EU) countries and 4 European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries. That’s Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein plus all EU countries except Ireland and Cyprus.

British travellers will be required to have an ETIAS visa waiver to enter the Schengen Area from 2026.

There will be an online form asking some security questions and results should be pretty speedy.

The rules for the amount of time you can spend in the Schengen Area will remain exactly the same as they are now - an allowance of 90 days in the Schengen Area within a 180-day period.

If you want to stay more than 90 days, you will need a different visa entirely. Check the Gov.uk page for the latest travel info.

Do I need to pay the fee every time I enter a Schengen Area country?

No, the visa waver fee lasts for three years, so you will only need to pay again once it expires, or if you get a new passport.

Who does the fee apply to?

The fee only applies to adults aged 18+, those under 18 do not have to pay any fees.

What countries are included?

• Austria

• Belgium

• Bulgaria

• Croatia

• Czech Republic

• Denmark

• Estonia

• Finland

• France

• Germany

• Greece

• Hungary

• Iceland

• Italy

• Latvia

• Liechtenstein

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Malta

• Netherlands

• Norway

• Poland

• Portugal

• Romania

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Spain

• Sweden

• Switzerland

What countries aren't included?

• Republic of Ireland - Brits will not need an ETIAS to travel to the Republic of Ireland as it is not in the Schengen Area and the two countries have a longstanding Common Travel Area that predates Schengen Area.

• Cyprus is also not part of the Schengen area and is expected to be exempt from the ETIAS rules.