If you feel like you know the ins and outs of Europe, and you’ve finally mastered the Schengen game after country-hopping around it for years, you might want to strap in for the next ride: the Old Continent you know is about to turn the rulebook on its head.
This year, there are 5 big changes coming that will affect all travelers headed for Europe, and if you’re not careful enough, you could find yourself barred at the boarding gate, watching as your flight departs without you:
You’ll Need A Digital Entry Permit
Perhaps the biggest shakeup of border rules Europe has attempted in decades, ETIAS is an acronym standing for European Travel Information and Authorization System.
A mouthful name, but it only means one thing: either you get pre-approved to travel, or you can say adieu to the fairytale castles and cobblestone Old Towns you’ve been dreaming of.
An ETIAS is a digital permit that all travelers who have enjoyed visa-free privileges up until now, and this includes Americans, will have to obtain starting in late 2026. Applications will be processed online, and will feature steps like submitting a passport photo, filling out a form, and answering security questions.
There’s just no way to skirt it: this will be mandatory if you wish to be admitted to any of the 29 Schengen countries, and, of course, it’s not free. Currently, the ETIAS fee is set at €20.
An ETIAS is valid for 3 years, or until your passport expires if it’s set to expire sooner, and it will enable you to continue traveling across the Schengen Area for 90 days within any 180-day period.
Same For The UK
The ETIAS applies to most of Europe, as most European countries are within the Schengen Area, but what about the United Kingdom?
Historically, Americans have been able to travel to Britain without applying for permission in advance. A valid passport and, if requested, proof of outbound or return travel were all they had to concern themselves with.
Last year, the U.K. decided to break with tradition and imposed an Electronic Travel Authorization requirement on Americans (as well as other foreign nationals who were visa-exempt).
Similar to the ETIAS, it involves giving biometrics, ticking the right boxes, and paying a fee (£16, or around $21.50). Throughout 2025, however, there was a grace period in which travelers who were not aware of the requirement were let through.
Starting February 2026, the tolerance is over. Either you have an ETA attached to your passport, or no red telephone box selfies.
Be Ready To Get Fingerprinted
For those of you who’ve touched down in Europe recently, you may have noticed a row of intimidating kiosks being installed and fingerprinting signs in airport arrival halls across the continent.
That’s the EES for you, Europe’s so-called Entry/Exit System, which authorities have been gradually rolling out since last October, and that is due to come into full operation by April 10, 2026.
To keep it simple, you’d better dust off those airplane Pretzel fingers before landing, as you’ll be expected to give your fingerprints at one of the EES kiosks. Put on your best smile while you’re at it, as the machine will also scan your facial features and stash it in the EU’s big brother database.
The mandatory registration will apply, again, to all travelers entering the Schengen states as tourists, and the rationale behind it is better border management and enforcement of the Schengen code itself:
Think you can just wing it and spend an extra 2-3 days soaking up the Italian sun after your 90 days in the border-free zone are up and no one will bat an eye? Think again.
One More Country In Schengen By December?
Though this is yet to be formally confirmed by the European Commission, the Mediterranean island-nation of Cyprus is working towards a full Schengen accession by the end of 2026.
A member of the EU since 2004, Cyprus has not yet been invited to the ‘cool kids’ table primarily due to the decades-long occupation of its Northern third by Turkish forces. In the EU’s view, it was too complex a situation to skip border checks with mainland Europe.
Well, it seems the Commission has had a change of heart.
Cyprus is closer than ever to achieving its full European integration, and great as that sounds, it’s not exactly good news for travelers who typically use Cyprus as a ‘Schengen reset’. Too much traveler lingo for you? Allow us to explain:
Remember we said you can only be present in the Schengen territories for 90 days out of any 180-day period? Cyprus isn’t in Schengen, and it operates its own visa policy (albeit heavily aligned with that of Schengen).
Whether they’re slow travelers or digital nomads, Americans could easily fly to Cyprus after their 3 months in mainland Europe were up, soak up the Eastern Mediterranean sun for 90 days, and then return to the mainland for more of the usual country-hopping.
Once Cyprus ascends into that customs union, that will no longer be a possibility: any time spent in Cyprus will count towards your 90-day limit, but hey, it’s not like there aren’t options still available.
Bulgaria Joins The Eurozone
Lastly, as of January 1, the up-and-coming Eastern Balkan nation of Bulgaria is the newest member of the Eurozone. In other words, you’ll no longer need to exchange your euros for the Bulgarian lev as soon as you land in Sofia.
This will make traveling around Bulgaria that much more convenient, as price tags in euro are way easier to grasp than some foreign-looking Eastern currency with limited international appeal, but there’s always the other side of the coin. Pun intended.
As the popular saying goes, don’t count your chickens until they’re hatched:
We’ve all watched in dismay as Croatia went from an affordable alternative to Italy to one of the priciest destinations on the continent, a trend that was only accentuated after it adopted the euro a few years back.
We’re not saying Bulgaria is next in line (definitely not with the local wages), but you anticipate some readjustment, and for consumer goods to become more expensive, even if slightly, in the months ahead.
The dollar was about 2x stronger than the discontinued lev, and the euro is in fact significantly stronger than the dollar at the moment.
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