Important Changes for European Travel in 2025
Planning a trip to Europe in 2025 or beyond? Be sure to familiarize yourself with new travel requirements.
Non-EU residents will need to pay ETIAS fee to visit Europe
The biggest change for European travel in 2025 is the implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), which will require most visa-exempt travelers, including US citizens, to apply for online travel authorization before visiting the Schengen Area. This means you’ll need pre-approval to enter most European countries. I’ve written about this before, as the implementation date has been delayed multiple times, but it looks like the ETIAS requirement will start around May 2025. It could be pushed out further as it’s dependent on a new IT infrastructure in Europe: the Entry/Exit System (EES). EES will replace the current manual passport stamping with electronic registration requiring a prior biometric check, including fingerprints and facial images.
When ETIAS registration opens, you’ll need to register online, provide basic personal information and passport details, and pay €7 ($7.30 based on today’s exchange rate). Children under the age of 18, or anyone over the age of 70, will not need to pay the fee. ETIAS estimates 95 percent of applications will receive a decision within minutes of submission. Once approved, the travel authorization will be issued for a period of three years or until the date your passport expires, whichever date is sooner. For more information, see the ETIAS website and read my post New Requirement for Travel to Europe.
Prior approval required for travel to the UK from January 8, 2025
The United Kingdom is not in the Schengen Area, so if you are planning a trip to England, Wales, Scotland and/or Northern Ireland, you will need prior approval through the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA system). The ETA is required for travel to the UK from January 8. Before you depart, you’ll need to apply online, provide personal and passport details and pay a fee of 10 pounds ($13). The ETA is valid for two years or until your passport expires — whichever comes first — and it will allow stays of up to six months per visit.
You can apply via the official UK ETA app ( iOS and Android) or the government website. Processing typically takes up to three business days.
Europe’s Schengen area is growing
Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania will both become full members of the Schengen Area. While it will make border controls more efficient, it’s bad news if you want to spend more than 90 days out of 180 in Europe. This is because there will be fewer countries for you to travel to for 90 days and then return to the Schengen Area. However, Ireland and the UK are still an option as they are not part of the Schengen Area. To learn more about the Schengen shuffle, and how to legally stay longer than 90 days in Europe, read How Long Can I Stay in Europe?.
Italy bans self-check in for vacation rentals
Tourists visiting Italy who are staying in a short-term rental accommodation, such as Airbnb or VRBO, will no longer be able to check in independently using padlocks or key boxes. Their hosts will need to meet them to provide the keys and check them in. This means arranging your trips so you can meet with your host, which could make late evening check-ins more difficult.
Additionally, you may want to avoid the crowds in Rome this year as Italy is expecting over 32 million tourists during the year-long Vatican’s Holy Jubilee.
Big concerns over Spain's new "big brother" data law
As of Dec. 2, 2024, Spain has a new law requiring tourists to share a substantially increased amount of personal information. The new rules require visitors to supply up to 42 pieces of personal information with hotels and up to 60 pieces of personal information for car rentals.
Travelers will need to provide more sensitive information than just their credit card and passport, such as banking details, home addresses, and relationships between travelers. Hotels, rentals, Airbnb, camping sites, car rentals, and tourism operators must collect this data and send it to the government. Minors are not exempt from this requirement, and all data will be stored for three years. The decree applies to mainland Spain as well as the Canary and Balearic Islands.
Travel associations and experts are worried about the security risks and infringement on the right to protect personal data. The new law could also make the process of booking your stay or renting a car a more arduous process.
Real ID required by May 7, 2025
For those flying domestically, who don’t have a passport yet, you’ll need a driver's license with real ID if you want to fly on May 7, 2025 or later. You’ll know if you have a Real ID by the star in the upper righthand corner of your driver’s license.
If you have a passport, you don’t need a Real ID. However, if you’re planning on applying for a visa to another country, you’ll probably want to have a real ID. There are only a handful of offices in the US where you can arrange a visa appointment and since you have to leave your passport, you won’t be able to fly home without a Real ID.
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All these new regulations are subject to change, so be sure to double-check the rules and requirements for your destination before you leave home.
