New fees for Brits to enter France, Spain and Italy and when they come in

UK holidaymakers will soon need to pay for a permit to enter France, Spain, Italy and other countries, although the need to apply for an European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) has been postponed. As per the latest update, Brits heading to the EU won't need an ETIAS until at least April 2027.

Earlier this year, the EU's Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs said the ETIAS roll-out would likely begin in the final quarter of 2026. However, due to a grace period, UK travellers won't be required to secure an ETIAS before jetting off to the EU until 2027.

The introduction of ETIAS is tied to the launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES). After numerous setbacks, the EU has agreed to gradually implement the EES from October this year.

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This staggered approach allows member states to slowly introduce the new border system over a six-month timeframe. If the EU decides to kickstart the EES in October 2025, member states will need to register ten per cent of travellers crossing the border after the first month.

For the initial 60 days, the system can function without biometric features. However, by January 2026, all member states should have the EES operating with biometric capabilities, and by April 2026, the EES roll-out should be fully operational.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system designed to register non-EU nationals travelling for short stays each time they cross the borders of various European countries including 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, and Switzerland.

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If you're journeying to a Schengen area country using a UK passport, you'll need to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, upon arrival. This EES registration will supersede the current practice of manually stamping passports when visitors enter the EU.

Once the EES is fully up and running, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will be rolled out. According to EU authorities, ETIAS will be launched six months after the EES, around October 2026.

There will be a transitional period and a grace period, each lasting six months, which means that ETIAS will become mandatory for most people in April 2027 and fully compulsory by October 2027. The ETIAS application fee is 7 euros per traveller aged 18-70, with people outside of this age bracket exempt.

ETIAS explained

The ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for nationals exempt from visas travelling to any of these 30 European countries. It is tied to a traveller's passport.

It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.

With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can frequently enter these European countries for short-term stays - typically up to 90 days within any 180-day period. However, it doesn't assure entry, as you'll also need a valid passport, among other requirements.