
EU finally set start date for UK travellers' entry-exit system as Etias visa price trebled
The scheme will connect all Schengen area frontiers to a central database. The aim is to digitise border crossings so that the comings and goings of non-EU citizens can be more closely monitored. It will help to identify suspected criminals and to police the limit on stays of 90 days in any 180 days that applies to UK and other nationalities.
The newly declared date means some British passport holders heading away for October half-term holidays will need to give fingerprints and facial biometrics.
Initially the EU plan was to launch the scheme with a 'big bang' approach from the Arctic to the Canary Islands. But because of a rethink after the failure to meet the planned 10 November 2025 deadline, for the first six months travellers will encounter 'border roulette'. Some crossing points will require biometrics, while others will remain strictly analogue.
For UK holidaymakers and business travellers, the roll-out involves even more red tape than at present. Even when biometrics are taken at EES-compliant frontier posts, passports will continue to be scrutinised and stamped until the roll-out is completed 180 days later.
The EU has also confirmed that the Etias 'euro-visa' will come into effect between October and December 2026, and that the original fee is set almost to treble.
The Independent has identified the plans by studying newly updated EU documents from eu-LISA, the European Union agency responsible for the system. It is based in Tallinn, Estonia.
The main home page for the EES now reveals: 'The new entry-exit system will start on 12 October 2025.'
The Frequently Asked Questions page carries some old news: 'The European Union will inform about the specific start date of the EES several months prior to its launch.' Crucially, though, the end date of the roll-out is specified: 'This phased implementation will last until 9 April 2026.
'From 10 April 2026, the EES will be fully operational at all external border crossings of the European countries using the system.'
More details have also been revealed of the fingerprint requirements for British travellers – as well as other 'visa-free third-country nationals'. The document says: 'The system will store four of your fingerprints and your facial image.'
Children under 12 will not have to provide fingerprints.
Once the entry-exit system is up and running, final preparations will be made for the European Travel Information and Authorisation System – Etias. The EU says 'Etias will start operations in the last quarter of 2026.'
The European Union has now provided official confirmation of rumours that the fee is set to rise even before the so-called euro-visa begins.
Initially the cost of the permit, valid for three years, was pegged at €7 (£6). But the EU now says: 'When applying using this official Etias website, you will be charged a fee of €20 [£17].
'Applicants who are under 18 or over 70 years of age are exempt from this payment. Also exempt are family members of EU citizens and family members of non-EU nationals who have the right to move freely throughout the European Union.'

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ITV News
17 minutes ago
- ITV News
Politics and protests: What to expect from Donald Trump's Scotland visit
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They also said that people in Scotland "simply wanted to live in peace near what is now [Trump's] vanity project golf course", and have "experienced Trump's abusive and high-handed behaviour first-hand, long before he entered the White House." Protests are planned in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dumfries. During Trump's visit to Scotland in 2018, similar gatherings drew thousands of protestors.


Powys County Times
2 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Ryanair asks passengers to act as flights cancelled in UK
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Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
TUI announces extreme day trips to Lapland from major UK airport
Summer isn't over yet, but TUI is already looking ahead to the festive season with the launch of its 'ultimate Christmas day trip'. Announced as part of the 2026 winter schedule, the travel company's 'Search for Santa' package is back, and this year, travellers from Cardiff Airport can get in on the fun too. The 'extreme' day trip — which costs £750pp and runs from 11 airports across the UK and Ireland — offers families the chance to jet off to Lapland, meet Santa Claus, and be back in their bed by evening. Travellers land in Kittila in Finland around midday before heading to the Snow Village, with its ice hotel, which features igloo-like rooms and an icebar. Then its time to hop on a sleigh ride, led, of course, by Rudolph. There'll be husky rides, snowmobiling, and storytelling ahead of the main event: meeting Santa and his elves in the snowy woodland. Flights depart from London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Bristol, East Midlands, Cardiff, Glasgow, Birmingham, Stansted and Dublin. Fuel your wanderlust with our curated newsletter of travel deals, guides and inspiration. Sign up here. A route from Bournemouth Airport to Lapland will also resume in Winter 2026 after it was suspended in 2019. It's a whirlwind winter adventure, but these day trips aren't without criticism. While a quick jaunt might be a chance to squeeze in a holiday without knocking your annual leave balance, there are environmental consequences to consider. A Facebook group called 'Extreme Day Trips', which boasts over 240,000 members, is a hub for advice on flights and itineraries, and whether making it there and back in 24 hours is even possible. Some UK travellers have made it as far as Dubai and New York in under 48 hours, while others have dashed to Cairo to see the pyramids in less than a day. 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She added: 'Another factor could be the sense of achievement or adrenaline as a whole – quick trips can feel thrilling, exciting and non-stop – all emotions that we can crave, especially if our daily lives start to feel routine and predictable.' These trips, she says, could result in negative health effects. She said: 'Exhaustion and a sense of being drained might be a result of extreme day trips. 'We might feel and bit disorientated since we don't spend long enough in a particular place to get our bearings or a sense of comfort within the environment.' Eloise advises that spending time researching may help 'reduce feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion'. She also advises 'finding ways to stay grounded during fast-paced trips' – such as scheduling moments to rest or 'move to a slower pace'. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Mystery as man 'dies' on US flight but then completely disappears MORE: I was Jet2 and Virgin cabin crew – here's 3 'secret' European destinations MORE: An-24 plane carrying 49 people crashes with 'no survivors' after vanishing mid-flight