Home » Belgium Travel News » Croatia Merges With EU Powerhouses Like Italy, Switzerland, Spain, And Germany As British Tourists To Be Hit With New Holiday Permit Charge

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Croatia
UK

UK passport holders planning holidays to popular European destinations such as Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal will soon face new travel costs, as Croatia and other major EU nations align under a unified entry policy. This development comes as part of the European Union’s upcoming implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which together introduce a new requirement for British travelers to apply and pay for pre-arrival clearance. The goal is to strengthen border security, streamline travel processes, and replace outdated manual passport stamping with a modern, data-driven approach.

Due to Brexit, travelers from the UK will soon be required to pay for a new travel authorization in order to visit popular European destinations like France and Greece.

UK tourists will soon need to obtain a paid permit to enter countries such as France, Spain, Italy, and other EU nations, as part of new border regulations. However, the rollout of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) has been postponed. The latest update confirms that British travelers will not be required to present an ETIAS until at least April 2027.

Earlier in 2025, the EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs suggested that the ETIAS system would likely launch in the final months of 2026. However, with a transitional grace period in place, UK travelers won’t be required to obtain an ETIAS to visit EU countries until sometime in 2027.

The rollout of ETIAS is closely tied to the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES). Following multiple delays, the European Union has confirmed that the EES will begin its phased introduction starting in October this year.

Under this gradual rollout plan, EU member countries are permitted to implement the new border control system over a six-month period. Should the EES launch in October 2025 as planned, member states will be required to register 10% of border-crossing travelers starting from the second month of operation.

During the first 60 days of its launch, the Entry/Exit System (EES) may operate without using biometric data. However, by January 2026, all participating countries are expected to activate the system’s biometric capabilities, with full implementation targeted by April 2026.

The EES is a fully automated digital system developed to monitor the entry and exit of non-EU visitors making short-term stays. It will be used at border crossings across numerous European nations, including Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

UK passport holders heading to a Schengen country will soon be required to provide biometric data—such as facial images or fingerprints—at the border. This process will be part of the Entry/Exit System (EES), which is set to replace the traditional passport stamping method currently used at EU entry points.

Once the EES is fully established, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will follow. EU officials have indicated that ETIAS will go live approximately six months after the EES rollout, likely around October 2026.

To allow for a smooth transition, the EU plans to implement a six-month transitional phase followed by an additional six-month grace period. This means ETIAS will become required for the majority of travelers by April 2027 and universally enforced by October 2027.The application fee is set at €7 for travelers aged 18 to 70, while individuals under 18 or over 70 will be exempt from paying the charge.

Understanding ETIAS

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or ETIAS, is a newly introduced entry requirement for visitors from visa-free countries heading to 30 participating European destinations. This digital clearance is securely linked to each traveler’s passport and must be obtained before departure.

Once granted, the ETIAS travel authorization stays active for up to three years, unless the traveler’s passport expires first, in which case a new application is required. If you renew or replace your passport, you must apply for a new ETIAS authorization as the previous one becomes invalid.

An active ETIAS allows multiple short stays in participating European countries, typically permitting visits of up to 90 days within any 180-day timeframe. Possessing an ETIAS does not ensure automatic entry into the destination country. Travelers must still present a valid passport and meet all standard border entry conditions upon arrival.