New regulations are coming into effect for travellers in Europe and the US – Here’s all you need to know

For those planning to travel between the United States (US), The United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) this year, new travel authorization requirements are being implemented, meaning travellers will face new and updated checks upon arrival and departure. Guidance for Europeans traveling to the US has also been recently updated to reflect recent events at the US border.

Here is a round-up of everything you need to know:

Travelling to the UK?

Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)

Europeans travelling to the UK from Europe, including those from EU, EEA, and Swiss countries, will need an ETA to travel to the UK for short stays (up to 6 months) from April 2, 2025.

An ETA is a ‘digital permission to travel’, authorising a person to travel to the UK. ETAs are valid for multiple journeys over two years or until your passport expires.

Travellers can apply for an ETA online through the GOV.UK website or through the ‘UK ETA app’. This currently costs £10 but from April 9, 2025, an ETA will cost £16. When applying applicants need to provide contact and passport details, provide a valid photo, and answer a set of questions. The application result is normally given within minutes, but travellers should allow up to three days for a result.

British and Irish citizens as well as people with status under the EU Settlement Scheme do not need an ETA.

For more guidance on who needs to apply as well as what an ETA permits, visit the GOV.UK website here.

Travelling to Europe?

The Entry/Exit System (EES)

The Entry/Exit System (EES), while currently not in operation, is expected to start in October of 2025. The aim of this system is to modernize and streamline entry and exit for travellers and will replace passport stamping. It is an automated system which registers non-EU nationals each time they cross the border of any of the following European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.

The EES System affects non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay (up to 90 days within any 180-day period) to a European country using the EES. This means travellers who do not hold the nationality of any European Union country or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland.

Travellers do not need to take any action before their trip as all data will be collected at the external border of the countries using the system. Those arriving at a border of one of the countries using the EES system for the first time since it started will have to provide personal data which will be recorded in a digital file. The passport control officers will scan your fingerprints or take a photo of your face. If you hold a biometric passport, you can use the self-service system for quicker entry.

For further guidance on the EES system, check the official EU site here.

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)

ETIAS will start operations in the last quarter of 2026, so currently no action is required by travellers. The EU will announce specific plans for the launch of the system closer to the time.

ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, 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. Travellers from these 59 visa- exempt countries and territories are required to have a travel authorization to enter the aforementioned 30 European countries for a short stay.

The ETIAS authorisation is linked to a passport and is valid for up to three years. Note that if you get a new passport for any reason, then you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorization. Travellers can apply by filling out the form using the official ETIAS website or the ETIAS mobile application. The application costs 7 euros, but some travellers may be exempt from these fees. The applications are approved relatively quickly, and in contrast to the EES System, for ETIAS, travellers will need to apply for authorisation in advance of their trip to Europe.

When applying for an ETIAS application make sure to:

• check that your passport information corresponds with that of you ETIAS application
• apply well in advance of your trip
• check your passport remains valid for three months after your departure For more information regarding ETIAS, check the official ETIAS site here.

Travelling to the US?

Updated travel warnings to the US

Many European countries have recently updated their guidance for those wishing to travel to the US. After multiple incidents at the US border, many European nations including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom are issuing updated warnings for those wishing to travel to the US soon. These come after alleged visa issues European citizens have encountered while entering the U.S., as well as cautioning LGBTQ+ travellers after the January 20 executive order in the U.S. which states that passports should only be issued “with an M or F sex marker that match the customer’s biological sex at birth.”

After several citizens were detained at the border, Germany updated its travel advisory to the U.S. to state that a visa or entry waiver does not guarantee entry to the country.

The UK government has issued new warnings stating that “You should comply with all entry, visa and other conditions of entry. The authorities in the US set and enforce entry rules

strictly. You may be liable to arrest or detention if you break the rules”. They also urge travellers to contact the US Embassy or a consulate in the UK if they do not understand how these rules apply to them.

If you are planning to visit the US from the UK, you must obtain an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) or a visa. To apply for an ESTA, you can go through either the Official ESTA Application Website or the ESTA Mobile app. The fee for an ESTA is $21 USD and is valid for up to two years.

For more Foreign travel advice to the USA, read the official guidance and warnings on the UK Government website.