Making Sense of European Entry Protocols 

ETA? EES? ETIAS? How to keep it all straight. 

I get it. We're all excited about our spring and summer travel. But if you're headed across the Atlantic this year, no doubt you have been hearing or reading about an alphabet soup of electronic authorizations required to enter into both the UK and much of Europe (the Schengen zone). These are usually pretty basic forms collecting your passport details, travel info, and a photo. Many other countries have required such pre-registration for many years, including the US (for non-resident visitors). So the technology is not new, but its use is becoming more widespread.

Firstly, these are NOT Visas. They are an electronic replacement of the old paper entry forms you used to have to fill out on the plane or upon arrival, which you then handed over to border officials, along with your passport. Nowadays, the paper and stamps are being phased out as biometrics and electronic records are phased in. Typically you should apply for these authorizations about three days before your trip.

Some of this goes back more than five years, but implementation has been slow. I'm here to help you catch up.

First up, the UK ETA. 

The first one to actually go into effect was the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), required by the United Kingdom. This system has been in effect for some time now--about a year. If you've traveled to the UK since last spring, you've no doubt applied for and received your ETA. With your payment of £20, you're able to enter the UK for multiple tourist visits over a two-year period.

You don't technically need an ETA to just transit a UK airport, but I strongly advise you to obtain one ahead of any trip with a connection in the UK, such as Heathrow. If you miss a connection or experience a long delay that may lead to your wanting or needing to leave the secure area of the airport (such as spending a night at an airport-area hotel or a few hours in the city to kill time), you'll be very glad you already have your ETA in hand when you have to go through passport control to exit the airport.

Click here to learn more about applying for the ETA at the official UK ETA government site.

One other thing to note: if you have been convicted of any criminal offense, you may be refused or your application may be delayed. Please inform yourself about denials at this link.

Get ready for the EES next week.

What is the EES? It is nothing more than a change from a human stamping your passport to a machine recording your entry into the country. I have encountered electronic entry systems in other countries in the past, and their use is spreading.

The EES (Entry/Exit System) has been slowly rolled out since the fall of 2025. The EES is the new system for arriving at and departing from most EU airports, aka the Schengen Zone. What is that? It's a 29-country, passport-free travel zone in Europe, covering most EU nations (excluding Ireland), plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein (which are not in the EU). Ireland and Cyprus are fully exempt from EES, so flying into Dublin or Larnaca bypasses the system entirely.

Your biometrics, photo and fingerprints will be collected. Eventually border officials will no longer stamp your passport, because they will use your biometrics to identify you and record your entry and exit at the border. You can learn more at the official EU EES site.

This rollout has caused some delays as passengers enter or exit passport control upon arrival or departure at certain airports. I haven't been to Europe since just before this system started its beta testing and early rollout, so I have not experienced any problems yet, but do be aware of what we are hearing in our industry.

In Paris, Charles de Gaulle's automated e-gates were not able to process US passports recently. CDG actually rolled out electronic gates in advance of the 2024 Olympics, and I can tell you this from personal experience: when trying to get through passport control to depart France a few years ago and those electronic gates were not working properly, it wasn't pretty. There were not enough agents on site to efficiently process people manually, either. Keep in mind that I always allow at least three hours at CDG, and I almost missed my flight.

Lisbon had notoriously slow queues earlier this year--and I believe this was also upon exit, not entry--and suspended the system entirely for several hours. (Lisbon has always been a mess of an airport, if you ask me.) 

EES becomes fully mandatory across all 29 Schengen countries next week (April 10th). Right now the system is running at partial volume. After that date, it applies to every eligible traveler at every border crossing. IATA, ACI Europe, and Airlines for Europe have warned the European Commission that summer peak wait times could hit four hours or more at CDG, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Barcelona, as well as some smaller airports.

BUT--and here's the kicker--individual member states can choose to temporarily pause EES checks to manage congestion, as Lisbon did. Some airports will do it. Others will not. Nobody knows in advance where it may happen, and it can only be suspended for six hours at the time. Currently that option only exists until July, although trade organizations have strongly urged that it be extended until the end of October. The EU Commission's official position is that EES is running well. IATA, ACI Europe, and Airlines for Europe jointly and heartily disagree. 

No one knows how things will go once the trigger date passes, but the industry will be watching closely. The experience this summer may be inconsistent from airport to airport.

What can you do to help yourself now? There is a free app called Travel to Europe on iOS and Android. Pre-register your passport details before you arrive. It does not eliminate border checks but it cuts your processing time at airports where it is active. 

Sounds great, right? Unfortunately, most countries are not even using the app yet--only Portugal and Sweden--so you will have to fill out your details at an electronic kiosk upon arrival, along with everyone else. You can check this link to see if your entry airport/country will finally support the app before you travel. 

For now, plan to arrive at any EU airport at least four hours early and expect passport control delays upon both arrival and departure. Have contact information for any private transportation arrangements you have made in case they limit driver wait times for arriving passengers. Given that some airlines only open their check-in counters two or three hours before a flight, you may want to seriously consider NOT checking a bag so that you can try to avoid waiting in another line before you even get to security and then border control. 

It's hoped that EES will smooth out over the next few months, but it's best to be prepared for anything.

The last piece of the puzzle: ETIAS

ETIAS is the advance travel authorization that will be required for citizens of the US and many other countries when they enter the Schengen Area, starting this fall (allegedly). As you no doubt know from reading previous Mon Voyage newsletters, ETIAS has been repeatedly delayed for at least five years. But since its official rollout has always been predicated upon the timeline and success of EES implementation, I think we can now see a small shaft of light at the end of the ETIAS tunnel.

But you know what? Until the EU comes out and says, yes, it is finally, officially happening, I'm not going to get all hung up on it. With all the delays associated with EES, I could easily see the ETIAS rollout being delayed yet again while they work to straighten out the current issues. 

Again, this is NOT a visa. It is simply a visa waiver program, a pre-registration required for your usual visa-exempt tourist entry into the Schengen Area. It is comparable to the UK's ETA and the US version for most foreigners, called ESTA.

Like the UK ETA, ETIAS will carry a fee and be good for several years. And like the ETA, past criminal convictions will raise a red flag.

There will be announcements about the precise timeline over the next few months, and when anything becomes definitive, I will let you know. For now, you can learn more at the official ETIAS website.

Now that you know the entry score, here are several Mon Voyage Small Group Trips currently available for booking:

1) CLOSING SOON! City Break Double Date: Shanghai and/or Seoul (September 19-October 4, 2026)

Shanghai and Seoul hum with possibility—sprawling cities where the past and future share the same space. In Shanghai, the Huangpu River reflects both the curved roofs of centuries-old temples and the glittering glass of skyscrapers that glow after dark. The rhythm of the city shifts as you wander from fragrant dumpling stalls to elegant gardens that feel like hidden sanctuaries. In Seoul, the contrasts deepen: morning calm at a palace courtyard gives way to neon-lit nights in lively markets and music-filled streets. Here, history isn’t tucked away—it tracks right alongside the energy of youth and innovation. Taken together, these two cities invite you not just to see their landmarks, but to feel their pulse: a blend of ancient and modern beats, from the Chinese huang zhong to K-Pop. Join me for one city or both--click here to learn more.

2) RED ALERT: December 10-17, 2026: Christmas Markets on the Rhine

This Basel to Amsterdam cruise aboard the AmaSiena has been completely sold out for months, but I check inventory weekly, just in case one cabin might become available. Usually, the answer is, "Unfortunately, no results match your search parameters." As of this morning, April 1st, ONE Category AA twin balcony cabin on the upper deck is showing as available, at $7420.60 per person, double occupancy. This price reflects a 5% discount coupon that I can apply to the booking. You can read more about this super fun opportunity here and be sure to click the "Basel to Amsterdam" button to see the itinerary in the correct sailing direction. But don't be an April Fool--snag this cabin TODAY before it disappears! 

3) August 14-21, 2027: Best of Holland & Belgium

Cruise these scenic waterways with me on the beautiful brand new AmaSofia. I can’t wait to cool off in the Low Countries when it’s 100 degrees back in Texas. I’ve been to the Netherlands and Belgium several times, but really excited about this itinerary that includes new destinations for me, such as Antwerp and Ghent, along with excursions to the incredible Delta Works flood control project (a true engineering marvel—take it from a girl born on the bayou), Bruges, and the windmills of Kinderdijk. Be sure to click the 2027 button, not the 2026 button, for the correct itinerary.

I have multiple early booking promotions currently available for this trip, and the kicker is that some are combinable, which is frequently not the case. The promotions are hypothetically in effect through the end of June, but once they hit a certain capacity, they will be retired. On top of that, I still have some 5% coupons that I can apply to your booking to reduce the price even more. 

Also in the works for 2027, but not yet ready for booking:

• A Vienna City Break in March 

• A July trip to the LacMus festival on the shores of Lake Como plus La Scala and Verona opera performances (This trip will be offered first to Dallas Opera and LacMus donors, as it is being planned in partnership with those organizations.)

and

• Andalucia & Morocco in late September/early October

Watch this newsletter for more information in the coming months!

Private trip planning: your interests, your priorities, your travel style.

The Mon Voyage private trip planning calendar for 2026 is filling fast. My best availability at this time is for planning your November and December 2026 or your 2027 trips. Reach out now, while I can still accommodate a few more 2026 requests--and if you're looking at holiday season travel, it's time to get on the stick!

À la prochaine,

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