ETIAS news and updates
What is actually happening with ETIAS, the EU travel authorisation: the launch timeline, the fee, the border systems behind it and the scams to avoid. Plain English, checked against official EU sources.
- Borders4 min read
EES border queues in autumn 2026: an honest forecast
Summer has been EES's hardest period. This autumn, two things change: passenger volumes fall and more travellers arrive already enrolled. Here is what that means for queue times from September onwards, and what first-time visitors should still allow for.
Read → - Borders4 min read
UK and Europe in one trip: ETA, EES and ETIAS
Britain and the Schengen area have entirely separate entry systems. A combined UK-and-Europe trip involves a UK ETA for Britain and EES biometric registration at every Schengen crossing. Days in the UK do not count toward your 90-day Schengen allowance.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Dover and Eurotunnel EES: cars not fingerprinted this summer
Both Getlink and the Port of Dover confirmed in July 2026 that full EES biometric registration has been deferred for car passengers at Channel crossings. Border officers still create an EES entry record using your passport, but fingerprints and facial scans are not being collected yet.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Gibraltar and EES: what changed on 15 July 2026
A treaty signed between the UK and EU on 14 July brought Gibraltar into the Schengen zone for border purposes. EES biometric checks now operate at Gibraltar Airport and the Port of Gibraltar, and ETIAS will apply there when it launches.
Read → - Launch timeline4 min read
eu-LISA: when the new ETIAS launch date will be set
eu-LISA, the EU agency that builds and operates ETIAS, concluded at its June board meeting that a Q4 2026 launch is no longer achievable. The September board meeting is the next milestone for a revised date, and here is what that process looks like.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES September deadline: nine countries seek extension
Nine Schengen countries including France, Germany and Italy wrote jointly to the European Commission on 10 July asking that emergency EES biometric flexibility measures be kept alive past their 6 September expiry. The Commission has not yet formally agreed.
Read → - Application process4 min read
ETIAS refused: your right to appeal explained
When ETIAS launches, a share of applications will be refused. EU Regulation 2018/1240 sets out your right to appeal, the grounds on which refusal happens, and whether you can reapply. Here is how the process works.
Read → - Borders3 min read
EES and children: the under-12 fingerprint rule explained
Children under 12 do not give fingerprints at the Schengen border under EES, but they still have a facial image taken and their passport data recorded. Here is how the age rules work in practice for families travelling this summer.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES queues summer 2026: impact on trips smaller than feared
A late-June YouGov survey found that despite months of headlines about EES chaos, most British travellers who have already crossed a Schengen border this summer say the system had no meaningful impact on their trip. What the data shows, and why experience varies so much by airport.
Read → - Application process4 min read
ETIAS has no fingerprint scan. What the application asks
ETIAS is an online form you complete at home, not a biometric scan at the border. No fingerprints, no face scan, no appointment. Here is what the application form actually collects, who can see that data, and what rights you have over it.
Read → - Application process4 min read
ETIAS and a previous visa refusal: what to declare
A past visa refusal from any country does not automatically block an ETIAS application. It does trigger manual review by the EU member state you list as your destination. Here is what the form asks, how the assessment works and what to do about it.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES queue: your rights if you miss a flight or connection
Five-hour EES queues at Schengen airports are causing missed connections this summer. EU passenger-rights law EC 261 almost certainly does not cover delays caused by border procedures. Here is what does apply, and how to protect yourself.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES at UK-Europe ferry crossings: what to expect
EES biometric registration now applies to every ferry crossing from the UK into the Schengen area. On Dover routes it happens at Dover before you board. On Portsmouth, Harwich and Newcastle routes it happens when you arrive at the European port.
Read → - Application process4 min read
What ETIAS will ask about your criminal history
The ETIAS application will ask about a defined list of serious offences set out in Regulation (EU) 2018/1240. Most common convictions, including drink-driving, minor drug possession and petty theft, are not in scope.
Read → - Borders5 min read
EU rules out EES suspension as summer queues worsen
The European Commission told airlines on 7 July that a bloc-wide pause of EES biometric checks is neither possible nor needed. Officials cited the risk of false overstay records if the system runs unevenly across borders. The only relief still available, individual country suspensions of up to six hours, expires in September.
Read → - Borders4 min read
44,000 refused EU entry by EES: the most common reasons
The European Commission told Politico that EES has refused entry to 43,728 people since its October 2025 launch. The biggest cause was travellers who could not justify the purpose of their visit. Here is the full breakdown and what to carry to avoid being turned away.
Read → - Launch timeline4 min read
ETIAS launch may slip to 2027, reports suggest
The Financial Times reported on 7 July that a Q4 2026 ETIAS launch is considered unachievable by people briefed on the matter. No official EU statement has followed yet, but a revised timeline is expected from eu-LISA's September board meeting.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EU Schengen report 2026: EES statistics and what they mean
The EU's annual State of Schengen report, published in May 2026, is the first to include substantial EES data: over 66 million registrations in the system's first six months, a 40% drop in irregular crossings in early 2026, and France formally flagged for prolonged internal border controls.
Read → - Application process4 min read
Living in Ireland? ETIAS still applies when you visit Europe
An Irish residence permit does not exempt you from ETIAS when visiting Schengen countries. Neither does a Cyprus permit. Both countries are EU members that sit outside Schengen, and their permits carry no ETIAS exemption for travel elsewhere in Europe.
Read → - Borders4 min read
How to check your remaining Schengen days with EES
Passports are no longer stamped at Schengen borders. The official EU portal lets you check your remaining days using your passport number and EES records. One gap to know about: trips before 10 April 2026 are not in the system and need a manual calculation.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Airlines call for EES flexibility as summer queues intensify
Europe's aviation sector has formally called on the EU Commission to allow greater flexibility in EES biometric checks at Schengen airports this summer. Queues are running to several hours at major hubs and the Commission has not announced a response.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES at Schengen connections: when your layover is an entry
If your itinerary routes you through Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt to another Schengen country, EES registers your arrival at the hub airport, not your final destination. Here is what that means for your 90-day clock, your connection time and ETIAS.
Read → - Application process4 min read
ETIAS for business trips to Europe: the key rules
Business travellers from visa-exempt countries need ETIAS from Q4 2026, just like tourists. With the launch expected during Europe's busiest conference season, here is what frequent visitors and travel teams need to know.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES full biometric checks return after 7 September
The summer window for pausing EES biometric registration at Schengen borders closes on 7 September 2026. From late September, every non-EU traveller faces full fingerprint and facial-image checks with no queue-based suspension allowed.
Read → - Application process4 min read
ETIAS and dual nationality: which passport to use
If you hold more than one passport, ETIAS will be linked to whichever one you travel on. EU, EEA and Swiss passport holders are exempt entirely. With EES already recording your crossings and ETIAS expected in Q4 2026, now is the right time to settle this question.
Read → - Application process4 min read
Getting ready for ETIAS: what to do before it opens
ETIAS applications are not open yet, but there are a few sensible things to check now so the authorisation does not catch you off guard. Passport validity, fee exemptions, your Schengen day count and where to apply when the portal goes live.
Read → - Fees4 min read
Do children need ETIAS? Yes, but it's free for under-18s
Children from visa-exempt countries need their own ETIAS authorisation to enter Europe, with no lower age limit. The application is free for anyone under 18, but a parent or guardian must complete it on the child's behalf.
Read → - Fees3 min read
ETIAS for seniors: the fee is waived, not the requirement
Travellers aged 70 and over pay nothing for ETIAS, but the fee exemption does not mean they skip the application. The requirement to hold a valid authorisation before any Schengen trip applies to everyone.
Read → - Schengen rules3 min read
ETIAS valid for 3 years: what it means for your Schengen trips
An ETIAS authorisation lasts three years from the day it is issued, but it does not change the Schengen 90-day stay limit. Two separate timers run alongside each other.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES on Eurostar: why border control happens before you board
For Eurostar and Le Shuttle passengers, EES biometric registration happens at the juxtaposed controls in London or Folkestone before departure, not on arrival in France or Belgium. Here is what to expect at St Pancras and the Eurotunnel terminal.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES second crossing: what to expect on your return to Europe
If you crossed a Schengen border after October 2025, EES already has your biometrics on file. Returning is faster than first enrolment, but a new passport means starting over. Here is what actually changes at border control the second time round.
Read → - Borders5 min read
Frontex: EES border queues could last one to two years
Uku Särekanno, Frontex deputy executive director, said in June 2026 that EES will take one to two years to stabilise because first-time biometric enrolment is the hardest part of the rollout. The flexibility window for suspension closes in September with no extension planned.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Schengen passport 10-year rule: what EES now enforces
Schengen requires your passport to have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive, as well as having 3 months' validity after departure. UK travellers who renewed before October 2018 may hold documents that look fine but silently fail the test. EES automated gates now catch it every time.
Read → - Schengen rules4 min read
ETIAS for Norway, Switzerland and Iceland explained
All four non-EU Schengen members, including Liechtenstein, require ETIAS for visitors from late 2026. One authorisation covers all 30 countries. Here is why they are included and what it means for your trip.
Read → - Schengen rules5 min read
EES caught 7,000 Schengen overstayers: what happens next
The EU Entry/Exit System flagged nearly 7,000 overstayers in its first six months, per the May 2026 State of Schengen report. A logged overstay now stays on record for three years, can trigger an entry ban and may affect your future ETIAS application.
Read → - Schengen rules5 min read
Schengen 90 days: what EES means for remote workers in 2026
EES now tracks every Schengen crossing digitally. The strategies long-stay travellers once relied on no longer work, and an overstay logged now stays on your record when ETIAS launches.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES for Mediterranean cruises: who needs biometrics
EES has been live at every Schengen border since April 2026. Most cruise passengers on UK round-trips are exempt from individual EES checks at port calls. Fly-cruise passengers and those boarding in the EU are not.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Why Italy and Portugal are pausing EES biometric checks
Italy and Portugal have activated a temporary EU mechanism to pause biometric registration at busy airports when queues spike. Your 90-day stay clock starts on arrival regardless, and fingerprints are collected on your next Schengen crossing.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EU links its border databases: what changes for travellers
On 12 June 2026, the EU activated the European Search Portal and Common Identity Repository, giving border officials a single query across EES, SIS, Eurodac and more. ETIAS will join the same infrastructure when it launches.
Read → - Schengen rules4 min read
Schengen internal border checks in 2026: nine countries
Nine Schengen countries have reintroduced temporary passport checks at their internal borders. Germany and France are the most significant for summer travellers. The EU Commission has told them to phase the controls out, but they remain in place.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Airlines check EES status before boarding: what it means
Since April 2026, every carrier flying into Schengen must run an electronic check before boarding. A not-OK result means denied boarding. When ETIAS launches, the same check will cover that too.
Read → - Launch timeline4 min read
Can you travel to Europe without ETIAS after launch?
When ETIAS goes live in late 2026 it will not be mandatory at once. A transitional period of at least six months, then a grace period, gives travellers at least a year before it becomes a hard requirement. The two phases explained.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES app: how the Travel to Europe app cuts queues
Frontex’s free Travel to Europe app lets you pre-register your passport and face for EES before you fly. It speeds up the border, but it won’t let you skip it, your fingerprints are still taken in person, and it only fully works in Sweden so far.
Read → - Borders4 min read
Greece ends EES exemption for British travellers
Greece briefly stopped taking biometric data from UK visitors after EES launched in April, citing tourism concerns. The EU said the exemption was unauthorised. Athens reversed the decision on 31 May 2026. All nationalities now face full EES registration at Greek borders.
Read → - Borders4 min read
UK ETA outage June 2026: what went wrong and the lesson
The UK's ETA portal went down on 3 June, leaving some travellers without boarding approval. The system is back up. But the incident shows exactly why leaving an ETA application to the last minute is a gamble.
Read → - Application process4 min read
How ETIAS assesses your application: checks and timeline
Most ETIAS applications will clear in minutes via automated checks against EU and international databases. Here is what the system screens, what triggers manual review, and why your EES travel history now matters.
Read → - Schengen rules4 min read
Schengen 90/180 rule: the calculation people get wrong
The 90-day limit is a rolling calculation, not a fixed reset that refreshes every six months. EES now tracks every Schengen crossing electronically. Here is how to count your remaining days correctly.
Read → - Launch timeline4 min read
ETIAS launch date: where the EU timeline stands for 2026
The EU is still aiming for a last-quarter 2026 start, with a phased rollout before ETIAS becomes mandatory in 2027. Here is the current position and what it means for travellers.
Read → - Borders4 min read
The EU’s Entry/Exit System is now live at every border
EES has been fully operational across Schengen borders since April 2026. Here is what it records, how it differs from ETIAS, and why it clears the way for ETIAS to launch.
Read → - Fees3 min read
ETIAS will cost €20: who pays, who doesn’t, and what it covers
The ETIAS fee is set at €20 per application, up from the long-quoted €7. Under-18s and over-70s pay nothing, and one authorisation covers up to three years of trips.
Read → - Scam watch4 min read
Fake ETIAS websites are already taking money. How to spot them
ETIAS is not open yet, but copycat sites are already charging for it. The simple test that exposes them, the red flags to watch, and what to do if you have paid.
Read → - Borders4 min read
EES border queues in summer 2026: how long to allow
EES has been running at every Schengen border since April, and queues at major airports are already stretching to two or three hours for first-time visitors. Here is how much extra time to build in this summer.
Read →
Get one email when ETIAS opens
Get one email when ETIAS applications open. No passport details. No payment before launch.