Europe

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas. 

Travel requirements for the European Union (EU), as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, may have changed since your last trip. Please review the information below before you travel.

Passport
You must travel with a valid government-issued passport.

Your passport must:

• Be less than 10 years old on the date you arrive (check the date of issue).
• Be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure from the EU/Schengen Area (check the expiry date).

Passenger Names
Please ensure all passenger names match your passport exactly. Middle names are not required unless they appear as part of your first name on your travel booking.

Visas
UK passport holders do not currently require a visa for short visits to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You can usually stay for up to 90 days within any rolling 180-day period for tourism or business purposes.

We recommend checking the latest government travel advice before departure, as entry requirements may change.

The European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully operational across the external borders of participating Schengen countries. This digital border system replaces manual passport stamping for most non-EU nationals travelling for short stays. (Migration and Home Affairs)

What to expect when you travel:

• On your first entry, you will present your passport at border control, have a facial photograph taken, and provide fingerprint scans. These biometric details are securely stored to help speed up future border crossings. (Migration and Home Affairs)
• Your entries and exits will be recorded electronically, replacing traditional passport stamps. (Migration and Home Affairs)
• After your initial registration, your biometric information can usually be reused for future trips, making subsequent border checks quicker. (EEAS)

Who is exempt?
The EES does not apply to:

• EU citizens.
• Citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
• Certain travellers holding valid residence permits or long-stay visas issued by participating countries. (Migration and Home Affairs)

Travelling by Eurostar
If you're travelling via Eurostar, French or Belgian border checks take place before departure at London St Pancras International, so your EES registration (where applicable) will normally be completed before you board, meaning you won't need to repeat the process on arrival. (EEAS)

For the latest travel information, please visit the official EU Entry/Exit System (EES) website and the ABTA Travel Advice before you travel.