European holiday rules are about to change
It applies to people travelling with a UK passport(Image: Mats Anda via Getty Images)
Scots and other travellers using UK passports may soon be turned away from Spain and other countries if they fail to obtain a document before entry. Post-Brexit, British passport holders will be obliged to register with the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) before visiting certain European nations.
The ETIAS travel authorisation represents an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals visiting any of the “core Schengen area countries”, plus some “Schengen associate countries”, and Cyprus. With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, travellers can enter these European countries as often as they wish for short-term stays, generally up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Originally, an ETIAS was expected to cost 7 euros per person, but it has now been confirmed that it will cost 20 euros per eligible traveller. Travellers aged under 18 or over 70 are exempt, meaning for a family of four travelling with two children, the cost would be 40 euros.
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The scheme has faced multiple delays, and earlier this year the EU’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs projected that the ETIAS will be launched in the final quarter of 2026. The ETIAS is stored electronically against the passport and will be required for travel to the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, 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, and Switzerland.
Most applications are expected to be granted “almost immediately”, although the system may highlight problems with your ETIAS submission that could result in rejection, reports the Liverpool Echo. If you fail to obtain the document, you’ll be turned away from your destination, or at departure.
Reasons for ETIAS applications being refused are believed to include possessing an invalid passport, being considered a “risk” or having a Schengen Information System (SIS) alert, submitting an incomplete application, or failing to attend a mandatory interview. If your ETIAS application is rejected, you maintain the right to lodge an appeal.