Source: The Mirror (Story by Amy Jones)
Brits looking to go on holiday to European hotspots like Spain, France, Greece and Portugal will soon need to pay for a visa, under new rules.
There have been major changes to how Brits travel to parts of Europe, with the European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) fully rolled out and UK passports required to be issued less than 10 years ago.
In another significant change, British travellers will need to apply for a visa in order to enter parts of Europe, including popular holiday destinations.
This will be the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is set to be implemented from late 2026. Similar to the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, it will apply to visa-exempt travellers visiting 30 European countries for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
ETIAS required for Brits
Michelle Cooper, Director of Travel Insurance at Saga, explained: “Travellers may not realise that visiting Europe will soon involve an additional pre-travel authorisation step. From late 2026, British holidaymakers will need to apply for ETIAS approval before travelling to many popular European destinations.
“The authorisation will be linked directly to your passport, meaning travellers could be denied boarding if their ETIAS details don’t match their travel document or if the authorisation has expired.”
“Most ETIAS applications are expected to be processed within minutes, but it could take longer if additional checks are required. Holidaymakers should apply well in advance of departure to avoid last-minute disruptions.
“Similar systems already exist elsewhere. For example, UK travellers visiting the United States must apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) before departure. These systems are becoming more common globally, so it’s important to check requirements for each destination well ahead of travel.
“As with passport validity rules, people are responsible for making sure they have the correct travel authorisation before they leave the country. If someone is unable to travel because they failed to obtain valid ETIAS or ESTA approval, travel insurance is unlikely to cover costs associated with denied boarding or cancelled trips.”
With various travel changes for Brits, research from Saga Travel Insurance found that 50% of holidaymakers are not confident about the new visa and travel requirements for visiting Europe after Brexit.
Following a survey of 500 Brits, the travel insurance provider also found that 16% said they didn’t know when their passport expired, 10% had less than a year left on their passport, and 8% still held expired passports.
Visas for stays of more than 90 days
While it’s yet to be confirmed when the ETIAS will be fully rolled out for travel into the EU, it’s estimated to be implemented towards the end of the year. As it stands, Brits can travel to Europe without a visa for stays of up to 90 days, but after this time, they must obtain a visa. Meanwhile, the ETIAS will apply to all travel into the EU.
Michelle explained: “If you’re travelling to Europe for an extended period, you may now be required to apply for a new visa type. Travellers can spend up to 90 days in the Schengen area within any rolling 180‑day period, but it’s not as simple as it sounds.
“The 180 days are counted backwards from each day you’re in the EU or a Schengen country, so every trip adds up. That means even frequent short breaks can push you over the limit without realising.
“If you go beyond 90 days, you could face fines or even a ban from re-entering. Anyone planning to stay longer will need to apply for the new Schengen Visa.”
The Schengen area comprises 29 countries where holidaymakers can travel between the destinations without going through additional border and passport controls.
The Schengen area includes: 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.
10-year passport rule
Brits have also been confused by the 10-year passport rule, according to Saga Travel Insurance, and some travellers have even been turned away at the airport.
Just last week, a mum of three was left unable to board her easyJet flight to Greece with her family, due to the same passport mistake. She also only found out at the airport that her passport was not valid and had to fork out almost £700 in additional fees, while claiming that another holidaymaker was also turned away for the same reason.
Explaining what this really means for Brits, Michelle said: “EU and Schengen countries require passports to be less than 10 years old on the day of entry. While all new passports last exactly ten years, passports issued before 2018 remain valid for 10 years and nine months.
“If you have an older passport, make sure you check both the issue date and expiry date before travelling to avoid problems at the border.”