New European Union Entry Requirements for 2026

The European Union is adding two new entry requirements for visitors (who can still get in without a visa) so you will have to jump through a few more hoops if you’re visiting in 2026. Here’s the latest on the ETIAS and the EES:

— The EES (“Entry/Exit System”) is a new registration system whereby most European nations make visitors register upon their first arrival into one of the E.U. countries. They record your personal data (name, date of birth, passport number), date and place of each entry and exit, and they take your “biometric data” (facial image and fingerprints). It’s being implemented gradually throughout airports and cruise ports, and you only have to do it the first time you enter. See the website (linked above) for more information.

— The ETIAS: the “European Travel Information and Authorisation System” is an online registration system for non-E.U. citizens traveling to the European Union but they keep pushing back the activation date and it’s not planned until the last quarter of 2026. Please refer to this link 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 official documents (passport, drivers license, travel insurance) and keep them on your phone in case you lose something and/or 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 the WhatsApp messaging app on your phone as most people in Europe use this instead of phone texting (SMS), and it’s a great way to keep up with friends and family; you can also create group chats so you can share photos and travel details to many people at once
download the Trainline app on your phone to access rail options around Europe, or if you’re traveling in Italy, download the Trenitalia app so you can buy tickets on the go (and also Italo, which is the private high-speed rail competitor to Trenitalia)