Two changes to affect travellers heading from Heathrow and Gatwick to Spain and other EU countries

Travellers will need to be aware of two changes

UK holidaymakers jetting off from Heathrow or Gatwick to Spain and other destinations will soon need to apply online for authorisation before they go, due to two big changes affecting all UK tourists. The European Union is set to introduce two schemes that will impact all non-EU citizens travelling to most EU countries.

The first big change is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated system for registering travellers from outside the 27-nation bloc every time they cross the border. This long-awaited scheme, now set to be introduced later this year, will require tourists from Britain to scan their passports at an automated self-service kiosk before crossing the border.

BirminghamLive reports this will replace the current system, which was introduced after Brexit, of manually-stamping passports. The new scanners will register the person’s name, type of travel document, biometric data like fingerprints and facial image, plus the date and place of entry and exit.

According to the European Commission, the system will apply when entering 25 EU countries, including Spain, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Portugal, and four non-EU countries – Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein – that are part of the border-free Schengen area.

The new rules will also affect UK border checkpoints, including those at the Port of Dover, Eurostar and Eurotunnel terminals. The EES system will keep track of how long travellers stay in Schengen area countries and record any overstays or entry refusals.

At present, British holidaymakers can only stay for a maximum of 90 days within any 180-day period in the Schengen area. This is enforced by checking passport stamps at the border. For longer stays, people from outside the EU and Schengen area need to apply for a visa.

Another big change that will impact UK tourists is the introduction of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). This will require travellers to get authorisation, either online or via a mobile app, before they can enter EU countries.

This system is expected to be launched in the middle of 2025. Once it’s operational, the European Union advises holidaymakers to get their ETIAS travel authorisation before they buy plane tickets or book hotels.

Applications will be checked against EU information systems for borders and security, and most people will receive confirmation within minutes. However, the European Commission has said that some applicants may need further checks, which could delay authorisation for up to 30 days.

The ETIAS authorisation will last for three years or until the person’s passport expires (whichever is soon), but will then need to be renewed for future visits. It will cost 7 or £6 for people aged 18 to 70 or free for under-18s and over-70s.

The EU has a list of countries, which includes the UK, whose citizens do not need a visa to travel to the EU/Schengen area and ETIAS authorisation will be required for all travellers from countries with such a visa waiver. This doesn’t apply to travel between the UK and Ireland as there is already a Common Travel Area between the two.

The system is similar to the ESTA system in the USA, where visitors pay a one-off fee of $21 for travel authorisation which lasts for two years. The UK Government is also planning to introduce a similar system for non-UK travellers visiting the country, which is set to be up and running by the end of 2024.