Travel

EU’s new Entry/Exit System: What UK travellers need to know about visas, insurance and delays

Because the October launch of the six-month rollout of the EU’s entry-exit system (EES) approaches, a variety of myths and misconceptions about what it actually means for travellers have surfaced. Whereas some declare that non-EU travellers might want to show their journey insurance coverage, others imagine that the EES is being applied as punishment for Brexit. 

However how a lot of the hypothesis is trueand which claims are myths? We took a take a look at a few of the commonest misconceptions. 

Fable: British travellers might want to show their medical insurance coverage

Not too long ago, Nigel Farage, chief of the Reform UK social gathering, claimed that UK travellers would wish to show that they’ve journey insurance coverage. 

Many UK travellers at present depend on the World Well being Insurance coverage Card (GHIC), which is offered by the NHS without cost. Although it doesn’t exchange journey insurance coverage, it permits entry to medically vital therapy in EU nations and Switzerland at both the identical value as residents or without cost. 

The suggestion that journey insurance coverage may grow to be necessary when the EES is launched has sparked considerations, particularly amongst older travellers and people with pre-existing circumstances, as insurance policies for these teams may be prohibitively costly. 

The European Fee has since confirmed to UK newspaper The Impartial that no proof of journey insurance coverage could be required. The EES doesn’t change entry necessities for British travellers to the EU and wider Schengen space, however they are going to nonetheless have to stick to post-Brexit guidelines. 

These embody justifying the aim of their journey, exhibiting that they’ve sufficient funds at some point of their journey and proof of booked lodging. They could additionally want to point out proof of a round-trip ticket again to the UK or of onward journey to a rustic the place they’re sure to be allowed entry. 

Fable: British travellers might want to apply for a brand new visa when the EES system is applied

Non-EU travellers, who’re from visa-exempt nations just like the UK, nonetheless gained’t want to use for a visa for brief stays when the EES system is launched. Brief stays are categorised as as much as 90 days inside a 180-day interval. 

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It’s because the EES will solely register entry and exit information electronically at EU borders, for non-EU residents travelling to the Schengen Space. It’s designed to digitally register entry and exit information to determine individuals who overstay their visa, enhance border safety and exchange the handbook passport stamping course of. It doesn’t change visa insurance policies or imply one shall be required the place it was not beforehand wanted. 

It’s simple to confuse with the European Journey Info and Authorisation System or ETIAS, which shall be launched from late 2026 onwards. This shall be required for visa-exempt travellers coming into the Schengen Space, together with British nationals, but it surely isn’t a visa. It’s a visa waiver system just like the US ESTA, and the web system is meant to be a fast, on-line pre-travel authorisation course of.

Fable: The EES is retribution for Brexit

Some British travellers have expressed considerations that the brand new EES system is being applied primarily as retribution in the direction of the UK for Brexit. 

Nonetheless, the EES is an EU-wide effort to streamline and automate border management for all non-EU guests, not simply UK residents. That is primarily to make sure that the present Schengen journey guidelines, such because the 90-day brief keep restrict,  are being adopted correctly. 

The truth is, the EES was being deliberate properly earlier than Brexit came about, with the UK additionally collaborating on this planning whereas nonetheless a member of the EU.   

The UK additionally launched its personal border management system, the Digital Journey Authorisation (ETA), from April 2025. This can be a digital journey permission, linked to your passport, not a visa or assure of entry. 

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Guests of nations who don’t at present require a visa for short-stays, together with transit and tourism, want an ETA, in addition to residents of nations which require an ETA earlier than travelling. Relying on their nationality, travellers transiting by way of the UK can even normally want an ETA, particularly if they’re passing by way of border management. 

With an ETA, travellers could make a number of journeys to the UK for as much as six months inside a two-year interval, or till their passports expire, whichever occurs first. 

It requires travellers from visa-exempt nations, together with EU residents, to use for pre-travel approval earlier than coming into the UK. 

Fable: The EES applies to everybody, EU residents included

The EES system will solely apply to non-EU residents, each from visa-exempt nations, in addition to from third-party nations, who’re travelling for brief stays to or from the Schengen Space. 

EU residents, in addition to these with long-term visas and residence permits from a rustic within the Schengen Space, won’t be affected by the EES system, in accordance with the European Union. 

Non-EU nationals who’re travelling to Europe for research, analysis, coaching, pupil change schemes, voluntary service, au-pairing or academic initiatives won’t be impacted by the EES as properly. 

Equally, individuals who have obtained sure border verify privileges, in addition to folks exempt from border checks, similar to cross-border staff and heads of state, won’t need to undergo the EES system, amongst different exempt classes. 

Fable: The EES will imply additional border charges

The EES itself doesn’t require any further charges to be paid on the border. 

When the ETIAS is launched from 2026 onwards, travellers from non-EU nations should pay a payment of round €20 per particular person for journey authorisation. This approval will keep legitimate for 3 years, or till your passport expires.

Travellers beneath the age of 18 and over the age of 70 are exempt from this cost, as are members of the family of EU residents or of non-EU nationals who’ve the correct to maneuver freely all through the EU. 

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The ETIAS payment was lately raised from €7 to €20 and remains to be beneath overview, because of considerations that it might disproportionately enhance prices for travellers, particularly households. 

Fable: Border crossings will grow to be extra difficult with the EES

Some travellers and specialists have expressed considerations that the EES system might make border crossings at busy European airports even longer and extra chaotic than they’re now. 

Whereas some preliminary delays could also be skilled as travellers and border employees get used to the brand new system, in the long term, the EES is meant to make border management a lot smoother and extra environment friendly. 

It will primarily be achieved by changing handbook passport stamps, in addition to automating biometric methods like facial recognition and fingerprint collections. The EU is exploring the implementation of pre-registration methods and self-service kiosks at some borders to assist velocity up the processing of travellers and scale back ready occasions.

Fable: The EES will report and retailer all private data

As cases of knowledge privateness and safety breaches develop, there have additionally been considerations in regards to the EES doubtlessly storing all private details about travellers from non-EU nations. 

The EES system will solely report journey and biometric-specific details about guests, similar to facial scans, fingerprints, entry/exit dates and passport particulars. It won’t monitor different private data and particulars, similar to actions and each day actions inside the EU. The information it collects shall be ruled by strict EU information safety laws with clear limits on entry, how lengthy it may be held for and its use. 

Its goal is to make sure that travellers are assembly the 90-day rule for brief stays and should not overstaying inside the Schengen Space. 

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