U.S. travelers with plans to hop the pond to Europe this year should prepare themselves for some changes. For starters, Europe’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), a digital border control program, will become fully operational on April 10. It will apply to nations in the European Schengen area, a group of 29 countries that have eliminated their internal borders to allow free movement among them.
That will be followed by the launch of the ETIAS travel authorization, a process that will require overseas visitors to register prior to their arrival in Europe, slated to launch later in 2026—although the start has already been delayed numerous times.
For now at least, the EES digital entry system, a prerequisite for ETIAS, is officially going into effect in April. Since October 2025, the 29 European Schengen nations have been phasing out the process of physically stamping passports and instead have been switching over to the new digital system in an effort to make border control more efficient and secure.
As part of the new process, the EES will collect travelers’ biometric data, such as facial images and fingerprints (children under 12 will not be required to provide fingerprints), and will allow border agents to access international travelers’ data and travel history, letting them quickly see whether they are authorized to enter the Schengen area.
To comply with the system, travelers need to have a biometric passport, also known as an electronic or e-passport, which Americans have had since 2007 (The symbol with two rectangles and a circle in the middle on the cover of your passport indicates it is a biometric passport.)
Visitors to the EU without biometric passports will be required to undergo additional screening at the border and will not be able to use the self-service passport kiosks.
Which European countries have the new EES digital entry system?
The 29 countries in the European Schengen area are adopting the EES:
- 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
It’s worth noting that Cyprus and Ireland are not part of Schengen border controls and will continue with their own entry procedures, so passports will still be stamped manually there.
What about ETIAS? When will that launch?
The European Union said that it will announce the specific date for the launch of ETIAS closer to the start of the requirement. But even once it is activated, there will be a transitional period of at least six months, during which travelers will be asked to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization but won’t be refused entry without one. That will be followed by a six-month grace period, during which first-time travelers to Europe will be permitted to enter without an ETIAS as long as they meet border control entry requirements. But those who are not entering Europe for the first time will not be permitted without an ETIAS authorization during the grace period.
Once it launches, U.S. citizens as well as travelers from 60 other countries who want to travel to the 29 member countries of Europe’s Schengen area (listed above) plus Cyprus (an EU member that is not yet part of Schengen) will need to register for an ETIAS authorization and pay a nonrefundable application fee of 7 euros (approximately US$8) before entering Europe. Travelers under 18 or over 70 will be exempt from the fee, although they will still need to have ETIAS approval.
In the meantime, international travelers arriving in Europe do not need to register in advance.
The U.K.’s ETA authorization is in effect
The United Kingdom, which is no longer part of the EU or the Schengen area, last year rolled out its own electronic travel authorization program, known as the ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). U.S. travelers must apply for United Kingdom’s ETA via the ETA app (available through Google or Apple). Travelers will need to provide some basic personal information, including passport details and a valid email address. They will also upload photos of their passport and of their face and pay a £16 fee (about US$13)—which is increasing to £20 (USD$27) on April 8, 2026. Applicants should be granted approval within three working days, and the approval is valid for two years.
There’s no limit on how many times you can enter the United Kingdom during that time frame. Those with an ETA can spend up to six months in the country at a time and can visit any part of the U.K. You will, however, need to reapply for a new ETA if you get a new passport. Passengers connecting through the U.K. will only need an ETA if they pass through border control.
“You do not need an ETA to travel to the U.K. if . . . you’re transiting through a U.K. airport and you will not pass through border control,” states a government explainer about when an ETA isn’t required. Travelers who leave the main airport building for any reason or need to collect their bags and check them in for an onward flight will pass through border control. Authorities recommend that you check with your airline to find out if you’ll pass through U.K. border control and will therefore need an ETA.
This story was originally published in March 2025, and was updated on March 26, 2026.
