ETIAS delayed after EES border queues: When Brits will need Europe's new travel permit
Following a historic referendum vote on 23 June 2016, the UK officially left the European Union in January 2020. An 11-month transition period followed, during which the UK left the EU single market and. . .
Following a historic referendum vote on 23 June 2016, the UK officially left the European Union in January 2020. An 11-month transition period followed, during which the UK left the EU single market and customs union. While the departure from the EU raised myriad questions about the country’s status and standing on the continent – we’re still part ofEuropein this sense, of course – the main thing frequent travellers had on their minds was how it would affect journeys in and out of the UK. Enter the ETIAS and EES, two separate but similar travel authorisation systems. EES (the EU’sEntry/Exit System) began a phased rollout in October 2025 and became fully operational across all participating Schengen Area countries in April 2026. Now, travellers are awaiting the implementation of the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), due to begin in the final quarter of 2026. However, according to aFinancial Timesreport published on 7 July 2026, the EU may be forced to delay the implementation, meaning we may see ETIAS in 2027. The FT states that discussions about delaying the system follow EES border queues and technical glitches with the process. Do I need a visa to enter the EU? ETIAS for UK travellersAt the time of writing (July 2026), Britishpassportholders do not need a visa or travel authorisation to enter the European Union or theSchengen area– Schengen travel rules largely mirror the EU's. UK travellers are permitted to spend up to 90 days within every 180-day period in the EU without a visa. However, visas are required for longer stays, studying and working. Will I need a visa to enter the EU in future?Yes, this is where the ETIAS comes in. From the last quarter of 2026, British passport holders (along with several other nationalities) will require the new travel authentication to enter 30 European countries. What is ETIAS?The incoming European Travel Information and Authorisation System is an entry requirement, a Europe travel permit in a sense, for visa-exempt nationals travelling to the following countries:AustriaBelgiumBulgariaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGreeceHungaryIcelandItalyLatviaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMaltaNetherlandsNorwayPolandPortugalRomaniaSlovakiaSloveniaSpainSwedenSwitzerlandNationals who require an ETIAS, including British passport holders, must apply to enter the above countries when it comes into effect. The travel authorisation is linked to passports for up to three years and allows authorised travellers to enter these European countries for up to 90 days within an 180-day period. When does ETIAS come into force?According to the European Union, ETIAS will start operations in the last quarter of 2026, and no action is required from travellers at the time of writing (July 2026). How much is ETIAS?Applying for the ETIAS travel authorisation costs €20. Who needs an ETIAS?Nationals from all of the following visa-exempt countries will require an ETIAS to enter the European countries listed further above:AlbaniaAntigua and BarbudaArgentinaAustraliaBarbadosBosnia and HerzegovinaBrazilBruneiCanadaChileColombiaCosta RicaDominicaEl SalvadorGeorgiaGrenadaGuatemalaHondurasHong KongIsraelJapanKiribatiKosovoMacaoMalaysiaMarshall IslandsMauritiusMexicoMicronesiaMoldovaMontenegroNew ZealandNicaraguaNorth MacedoniaPalauPanamaParaguayPeruSaint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSerbiaSeychellesSingaporeSolomon IslandsSouth KoreaTaiwanThe BahamasTimor-LesteTongaTrinidad and TobagoTuvaluUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUnited StatesUruguayETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries. What is the difference between EES and ETIAS?While the ETIAS is a pre-travel authentication system similar to the USA's ESTA, the EES (Entry/Exit System) is the name given to the automated border database that registers your biometrics upon physical entry to another country, including facial images and fingerprints.