The next 12 months are set to see some big changes for travel in and out of the EU for non-EU/Schengen area nationals, as the repeatedly delayed EES and ETIAS schemes are set to finally come into effect (barring any more last-minute delays).

You can find a fuller explanation of what EES and ETIAS involve, and which countries are affected, HERE.

So if you have a trip planned, here’s what you need to know and how you can plan in advance. Remember many readers will be exempt from the new biometric checks (full list here) including EU nationals (and dual EU nationals), non-EU nationals legally resident in the EU / Schengen area (including Norway and Switzerland) and Schengen area nationals including those with Swiss and Norwegian passports.

Travelling between now and November 9th, 2024 

If you’re travelling before November 10th then there is good news – nothing changes. You can therefore continue with your trip without an extra requirements, all rules stay the same.

Travelling between November 10th 2024 and May 2025

After many delays and postponements, we now have a start date for the first of the changes; the new Entry/Exit System (widely known as EES) will come into effect on Sunday, November 10th according to the European Commission.

The exact start date for the second phase – ETIAS (or European Travel Information and Authorisation System) – is still to be confirmed, but will be at least six months after the start of EES, bringing us to mid-May 2025.

Therefore if you are travelling between November and May, you only have one thing to worry about; EES. 

What is EES – you can find a fuller explanation of what EES is HERE, but in brief it is a more secure way of screening passports at the EU/Schengen area’s external borders. It does not change immigration rules such as the 90-day rule, but makes enforcement of them easier.

When entering or exiting the EU or Schengen zone, passengers (with the exception of exempt groups, as explained below) will have to complete a pre-registration form giving personal details such as a name and date of birth and also provide biometric data – specifically fingerprints and a facial scan.

These will be used for two things; tighter security checks on passports and automatic counting of the 90-days of visa-free travel that some non-EU citizens are allowed within the EU/Shengen zone.

The pre-registration only needs to be done once, on each subsequent trip you simply scan your passport (until you get a new passport, at which point you do pre-registration again).

How to prepare – there isn’t a lot that travellers can do to prepare for this one in advance, as the pre-registration and giving fingerprints/facial scans must be done in person at the airport/station/port when you travel.

You may find, however, that your travel provider is requesting more API (advance passenger information). It’s already the case that, for example, if you are flying you will have to provide your passport details before you can complete online check-in, while operators such as the Channel Tunnel also require you to provide details in advance such as the names of all passengers.

In order to comply with EES rules it’s likely that all travel operators will request such information, and the requests may include extra details. 

So the first step is to thoroughly read all emails from whoever you have booked your travel with – even if you have travelled with them many times before – to ensure that you have provided all information required before you travel to the airport/port/station.

The next step is to know what to expect when you get to the station/airport/port – as practical differences on the ground mean that the process will be different in different places. You can read The Local’s guides to changes to travel on the Eurostar, on cross-Channel ferries, via Channel Tunnel Le Shuttle and for air travel.

Finally, plan to arrive early to allow plenty of time to complete pre-travel formalities, especially if you are travelling close to the start date or if this is the first time you have crossed an EU/Schengen external border since the scheme was introduced.

Check the recommended arrival times from your travel provider and follow their recommendations.

Who is exempt – citizens of EU/EEA countries are exempt from EES pre-registration requirements, and this includes dual nationals provided they are travelling on their EU/EEA passport.

Non-EU citizens who are resident of an EU/EEA country are exempt, as are non-EU citizens who have a visa for an EU/EEA country.

In detail: Who is exempt from EES requirements

Even if you are in one of exempt groups, it is a good idea to follow arrival time recommendations from your travel provider, especially if you are travelling close to the start date when things may be a little chaotic.  

Travelling after May 2025

Once EES is up and running and the main problems have (ideally) been ironed out, the EU plans to unroll the second change; ETIAS.

The exact start date is yet to be confirmed, but it is scheduled for “six months after EES”, according to the European Commission. This brings us to mid-May 2025. The start date will be planned to avoid peak travel times such as school holidays.  

If you’re travelling after May you will therefore likely have to consider both EES (as described above) and ETIAS.

What is ETIAS – In contrast to EES, ETIAS does change the rules of travel, requiring an electronic visa waiver for people who currently travel into the EU without the need for immigration paperwork.

It affects non-EU citizens who are travelling into the EU for a stay of less than 90 days and who do not have a visa or residency card. It will primarily affect tourists, some second-home owners (the ones who do not have a visa) and people making family visits.

Brits, Americans, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, plus any other nationals who can currently travel visa-free under the 90 day rule, are affected by this change.

How do I prepare in advance – Unlike EES, this one can be prepared for in advance, in fact it must be.

Before travelling, you will need to go online and fill out the ETIAS questionnaire and pay €7 (under 18s and over 70s are exempt from the fee but still need to fill out the form) and then wait for the application to be processed.

The European Commission says that applications should be processed within minutes, but advises travellers to apply 72 hours in advance in case of delays.

The process is very similar to the ESTA visa waiver scheme required for entry into the USA as a visitor.

Once you have done the application, it will last for three years, so regular travellers will not need to do it each time.

The process is entirely online and the website can be found HERE (although it is not taking applications at this point, it is set to open a few weeks in advance of the launch date).

The process is straightforward and designed to be done by tourists, there is therefore no need to get a travel or other company to do it for you. The Commission is warning people to be very careful of scam websites that claim to help you with ETIAS documentation – the safest option is to do it yourself via the official website. 

Who is exempt – ETIAS is aimed at tourists and short-stay visitors to the EU. Exempt are; citizens of EU countries or EEA countries, non-EU citizens with a residency permit in an EU/EEA country and non-EU citizens with a visa for an EU/EEA country.