The New European Union Entry Requirements for 2026

Europe's new EES & ETIAS regulations for entry 2026 blue banner on background of airport terminal

The European Union is adding two new entry requirements for visitors. To be more precise, the 25 nations in the Schengen Region have these requirements (the only two E.U. countries not in the Schengen at this time are Ireland and Cyprus). As a result, you may have to jump through a few more hoops on your next entry.

Guide to Europe’s New Entry Requirements for 2026 

Here’s the latest on the EES (now in force) and the ETIAS (in force in late 2026):

The EES (“Entry/Exit System”)

— The EES (“Entry/Exit System”) is a registration system whereby most European countries make visitors register during their first arrival into the E.U. They record your personal data (name, birthday, passport), date and place of entry, and take your biometric data (facial image and fingerprints). The official roll-out was on April 10, 2026, and you only have to do it the first time you enter. After that, it’s valid for three years. Reports from travelers range from “no problems at all” to long lines and general chaos in European airports. Expect delays of 30 minutes to up to 3 hours, so make sure you have enough time in transit if you’re arriving in an E.U. airport and have a connecting flight! You have to scan your passport in a machine after registration and again upon exiting the E.U.
See the website (linked above) for more information.

The ETIAS (“European Travel Information and Authorisation System”)

— The ETIAS is the “European Travel Information and Authorisation System,” an online registration system for non-E.U. citizens traveling to Europe. It’s not a visa, but you will need to enter all of your information and submit a formal request to enter the E.U. They keep pushing back the activation date, and now it’s set to begin in late 2026. Refer to the link above as your trip approaches to see if you need to register.

 

Other tips to make your European trip go smoothly:

  • take a photo of your important documents (passport, drivers license, travel insurance) and keep them on your phone for easy reference
  • ask your cell phone provider about their international plans or get an e-Sim to access the internet as you travel. We’ve been using Saily and Airalo but there are lots of others, like Jetpac and Holafly, etc.
  • load WhatsApp on your phone as most people in Europe use this more than regular texting (SMS). It’s a great way to keep up with friends and family, and you can create group chats to share photos and travel details with many people at once
  • download the Trainline app to access rail options around Europe. If you’re traveling in Italy, download the Trenitalia app so you can buy tickets on the go (and also Italo, the private high-speed rail competitor to Trenitalia)

Contact us for more tips on traveling through Europe!