2026 Important Travel Info!
- A2L
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
Travelling from UK/Non-EU countries
From 12 October 2025, the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) began. This is a new digital border system that will change requirements for British citizens travelling to the Schengen area.
Rather than having passports stamped, non-EU travellers crossing external Schengen borders will have to provide biometric data - including passport data, fingerprints and a facial image - electronically on entry.
The countries in the Schengen area are:
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, and Switzerland.
The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, and therefore EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries.
When travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries arrive at an external border where the infrastructure is in place, they will need to scan their passports or other travel documents at a self-service kiosk and register biometric data.
The phased rollout is expected to be complete by 10 April 2026.
Please read full requirements by links below:
travel@news.etias.com (a step by step guide)
Another new measure known as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is NOT due to launch until the last quarter of 2026.
Under the new ETIAS rules, travellers who don’t need a visa from non-EU countries, including the UK, Australia, the US and Canada, will have to obtain authorisation before short stays in the Schengen Area.
This will require you to complete an online application, provide personal details, answer security questions, and pay a €20 fee. This authorisation will be linked to the traveller’s passport and will be valid for three years or until the passport expires.
This new electronic travel authorisation system is due to be introduced in last quarter of 2026 with a transitional grace period, meaning it won’t be mandatory until 2027.
When the time does come, the only place to apply for an ETIAS will be on the official website. https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/etias
WARNING!
Given the launch of the EES, some travellers are worried they also need to apply for the ETIAS.
The association of travel agents and tour operators ABTA and the European Union are warning travellers that scammers are taking advantage of this confusion.
ABTA cautions that "people who try to apply for an ETIAS now may be at risk of fraud, with a loss of money and possibly personal data too."
The association has alerted travellers that there are already more than 60 fake websites claiming to sell the yet-to-be-introduced visa waiver.
Any apps, websites, or social media posts suggesting there is an alternative route are impostors.
Nightly tourist taxes, already in place in Malta called the Environmental Contribution, is increasing from €0.50 to €1.50 per person per night (aged 18+) starting in 2026. This tax applies to all accommodation types and is capped at €5 per person per continuous stay. Payable in all types of accommodation (hotels, apartments, guesthouses, etc.) normally at check in/out and paid directly to the government.
This tax has also from 2026 been introduced in countries like Iceland, Spain, Norway and the UK - and even the continuation of the day-tripper fee in Venice, Italy.
Europe cracks down on badly behaved tourists
New rules aimed at squarely curbing undesirable tourist behaviour are being introduced, so please check out the local regulations of your destination.
San Sebastián is the latest Spanish city to ban smoking on its beaches, while Portugal’s Albufeira this year announced fines for scantily clad tourists
