Entry/Exit System (EES)
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system for registering third-country travellers, both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt travellers, every time they cross an EU external border. The system records the person’s name, the type of travel document, biometric data (fingerprints and captured facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit, with full respect for fundamental rights and data protection.
The EES will enter into force in the second half of 2024.
Find out more on the European Commission and EES websites.
European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) will apply to third-country nationals who are visa-exempt. They will need to obtain a travel authorisation before travelling via an online application form. For each application, the applicant will have to pay a travel authorisation fee of EUR 7.
The ETIAS will enter into force in mid-2025.
ETIAS travel authorisation is an entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of these 30 European countries. It is linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.
With a valid ETIAS travel authorisation, you can enter the territory of these European countries as often as you want for short-term stays – normally for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. However, it does not guarantee entry. When you arrive, a border guard will ask to see your passport and other documents and verify that you meet the entry conditions.
Find out more on the European Commission website here and on the ETIAS website.
Useful links:
- Do I need a visa to enter Slovenia?
- European Commission: EU Immigration Portal – Do I need a Visa? in Migration and Home Affairs – Schengen, borders and visa.
- consilium.europa.eu: Check EU visa agreements with third countries.
- Calculation of the number of days of stay in the Schengen area: online calculator (in English).
- EFA – Pearle*: Cookbook – Visas for third-country national artists travelling to the Schengen area – handbook, in English, pdf and infographic.
- On the Move – DECONFINING project: Schengen Visa Code and Cultural Mobility: The Latest Insights with a Focus on Artists and Culture Professionals from the African Continent – handbook, in English, pdf.
- ETA for UK nationals: see recording from an on-line coffee morning event on ETA organized by Arts Infopoint UK (30 January 2024).