The €20 EU travel pass is coming — passport stamps are already gone

EES is fully live; ETIAS pre-travel authorisation follows in Q4 2026.

The Entry/Exit System has digitally logged every non-EU visitor’s border crossing since 10 April — passport stamps are history. Next comes ETIAS: visa-free visitors (Brits, Americans and 50+ other nationalities) will need a €20 online travel authorisation before flying to Europe, expected in Q4 2026. No exact date is confirmed yet, and a 6-month grace period follows launch.

For youEU citizens: nothing to do. Your non-EU friends, family and colleagues will need one — tell them before they book.

Next: Official go-live date pending; mandatory enforcement expected around April 2027.

Verified against the sources above on 18 July 2026. Plain-language summary — not the legal text and not legal advice.