Navigating the alphabet soup of travel identification in the U.S. and Abroad.
Travel years 2025 and 2026 will be marked by changes in travel identification requirements both in the U.S. and Europe. By now, you’ve likely checked your driver’s license for the star, representing that you have Real ID. European countries have also updated their border requirements for traveler identification.
ETA – United Kingdom
The United Kingdom launched its new Electronic Travel Authorization in January 2025. All US citizens, all ages, traveling to the UK for stays less than six months, will need an ETA, unless they have a UK Visa or Irish residency. Just a reminder that the countries that make up the UK include England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
You can apply for the ETA online up to a week prior to traveling. It takes a few days to a week to process and cost about $12.75 per person. While I recommend completing the application in the early stages of your travel planning, it’s good to know that ETA is valid for two years or the remaining period of your passport’s validity (whichever is shorter).
EES and ETIAS – European Union Countries
EES – Entry/Exit System – October 2025
ETIAS - European Travel Information and Authorization System – 2026
EES and ETIAS are the new systems for registering travelers for short stays to countries in the European Union. EES is scheduled to begin in October 2025 and ETIAS will start in about a year later. The United States has a similar system for foreign travelers entering our country, called ESTA: the Electronic System for Travel Authorization.
EES and ETIAS will be implemented in the following 29 countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland. Cyprus will also require ETIAS.
Summary of EES
The Entry/Exit System (EES) The Entry/Exit System modernizes the management of the EU’s external border. It is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay (up to 90 days). The system will register travelers each time they cross the external borders of the European countries using the system.
Summary of ETIAS
Soon after EES is implemented, US travelers will be required to have ETIAS travel authorization to enter European Union countries for a short stay. ETIAS is for visa-exempt travelers.
This is an electronic system that is linked to a traveler’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 authorization.
With a valid ETIAS travel authorization, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays - normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
EES and ETIAS are not currently in operation. Applications are not yet being collected. If you have plans to travel in October 2025 or later, please note the websites below to stay informed of when the systems begin. I’ll be on the lookout, as well. So stay tuned for further travel updates!
EES - https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees_en
ETIAS - https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en
Happy Travels!
Lisa
