New Rules for European Travel in 2025: Everything You Must Know!
in 2025 Europe is rolling out its biggest travel changes in decades from a mandatory 10 PB UK entry fee and new digital border systems to increase tourist taxes across major cities your European Adventure is about to look very different whether you’re planning a quick getaway or a long stay these changes will affect every International traveler heading to Europe stick around as we break down all the major changes that will affect your European Adventure next year number one digital border Revolution e es and etss let’s dive into the biggest change hitting European travel the new digital border systems imagine showing up at the airport and instead of getting those nostalgic passport stamps you’re facing a digital scanner that’s exactly what’s happening with the entry exit system or EES for short this system is pretty fascinating because it’s going to completely change how we enter Europe instead of a border officer flipping through your passport Pages you’ll be looking at facial recognition scanners and fingerprint readers it’s like something out of a sci-fi movie except it’s happening in 2025 now here’s where it gets interesting this system will track every single entry and exit that means no more confusion about how long you’ve stayed in Europe the system knows exactly when you entered and when you left for those of you wondering about Visa overstays well they’re going to be pretty much impossible to get away with now but wait there’s more along with EES comes EDS think of it as Europe’s version of the US esta system if you’re from one of the 60 Visa exempt countries you’ll need to apply online before your trip it’ll cost you €7 and you’ll need to fill out an application that asks about your background health and travel history the good news once you get your etus approval it’s valid for 3 years or until your passport expires whichever comes first you can make multiple trips during this time as long as you don’t stay more than 90 days in any 180-day period hey Travelers this is just the beginning and there’s so much more to cover if you’re finding this useful hit that like button and subscribe you’ll want to stay updated with all these changes coming up number two UK’s new entry rules now let’s talk about what’s happening across the channel the UK is introducing its own system called the electronic travel authorization or ETA starting January 8th 2025 if you’re from countries like the United States Canada or Australia you’ll need to get this authorization before you even think about boarding your flight to the UK here’s the nitty-gritty the ETA will cost you £10 that’s about $12.75 you’ll need to apply online and it’s not just a formality the UK government will be checking your background and while they say most applications will be approved within a few hours some might take up to three business days Pro tip don’t wait until the last minute but here’s where it gets really interesting from April 2nd 2025 even EU citizens will need an ETA to enter the UK yes you heard that right the only exceptions are British and Irish citizens and those who already have a valid UK Visa the good news is that once you get your ETA it’s valid for multiple entries over 2 years you can stay for up to 6 months each time you visit which is pretty generous just remember this isn’t a work permit if you’re planning to work in the UK you’ll need a proper Visa what’s really cool about this system is that it links digitally to your passport when you’re at the Airport check-in the airline staff can instantly verify if you have a valid ETA this means less hassle at the border and hopefully shorter cues at immigration number three shenen Zone expansion here’s some exciting news for European Travelers the shenen area is getting bigger Bulgaria and Romania are finally joining the club on January 1st 2025 and this is huge for several reasons first off let’s understand what this means when these countries join shenen all those annoying border checks between them and other shenen countries will disappear if you’re driving from Hungary to Romania or from Greece to Bulgaria you won’t need to stop at the border anymore just drive straight through like you’re Crossing from France to Germany this expansion is particularly exciting for road trip enthusiasts you can now plan routes through Eastern Europe without worrying about border waiting times imagine driving from Vienna through Budapest then into Romania to visit Transylvania and continuing to Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast all without stopping at a a single border checkpoint but it’s not just about convenience this expansion will boost tourism in both countries Airlines can operate more flights between cities without the hassle of separate border controls and Bus and Train companies can offer more direct routes this means more options and potentially better prices for travelers for local businesses in Bulgaria and Romania this is a GameChanger the tourism industry is expecting a significant boost as Travelers can more easily include these countries in their European itineraries and let’s be honest both countries have some amazing spots that deserve more attention number four tourist tax changes now here’s something that’ll affect your travel budget tourist taxes are getting a major overhaul across Europe cities and regions are introducing new fees or increasing existing ones to manage over tourism and fund local infrastructure Venice is leading the charge with a controversial new system starting April 2025 if you’re a day visitor you’ll need to pay up to €0 during peak times they’re using a dynamic pricing system book early and you might pay less show up last minute on a busy day that’s when you’ll pay the full amount but Venice isn’t alone Greece is significantly increasing its tourist tax Nationwide the daily rate is jumping from 50 cents to €2 and during High season you could be paying up to 8 per day that might not sound like much but for a family staying 2 weeks it adds up Portugal’s getting in on the action too madira those those beautiful islands off the African Coast are now charging €3 to use any of their 30 hiking trails this might sound steep but they’re using the money to maintain the trails and protect the natural environment meanwhile the historic city of everra is planning to introduce its own tourist tax though the details are still being worked out number five golden Visa updates the landscape of investment migration in Europe is seeing some major changes in 2025 Greece is shaking things up with an Innovative approach to their golden Visa program while other countries are reconsidering their schemes entirely Greece’s new startup pathway is particularly interesting instead of just investing in real estate you can now get residency by investing €250,000 in approved Greek startups but there’s a catch you can’t own more than 33% of the company and you need to create at least two jobs in the first year these jobs need to stick around for 5 years too this shift shows how countries are trying to attract not just wealth but Innovation and job creation it’s a smart move by Greece potentially bringing in entrepreneurs and Tech Talent along with investment meanwhile Spain is at a Crossroads with its golden Visa program they initially planed to end property-based golden visas but the Senate’s veto has created uncertainty this reflects a broader European trend of reconsidering these investment programs balancing economic benefits against concerns about their impact on local housing markets number six residence permit changes France is introducing some game-changing rules for anyone dreaming of living there longterm language skills are becoming mandatory and they’re not just asking for basic tourist French for a multi-year residence permit you’ll need to prove a two-level French that means you can handle everyday situations have basic conversations and understand simple written texts but if you’re aiming for that coveted 10-year permit you’ll need a B1 level that’s where you can discuss work school and Leisure with reasonable fluency why this change France wants to ensure that long-term resident can fully integrate into French society it’s about being able to work socialize and participate in community life while the exact implementation date isn’t set yet one thing’s clear if you’re planning to live in France it’s time to start those French lessons and there you have it the big changes coming to European travel in 2025 if you found this video helpful smash that like button and hit subscribe for more travel tips and updates speaking of travel tips next week we’re covering top Europe European destinations to visit in 2025 before they get too popular you won’t want to miss that one thanks for watching and I’ll catch you in the next video.
- What is the visa 2025 for Europe?
- What is the new EU entry system?
- What is the 90 Day Europe rule?
- What is required to travel through Europe?
