Travel Advice

Everyone must verify their passport is valid & allow plenty of time to apply for a new one if required. For the latest entry requirements please click this link: Entry requirements - Austria travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

• Students and teachers need a valid EHIC, or to apply for a new GHIC well before they travel 

• New EU border checks come into force in November 2024 - make sure you allow extra time to pass through the EES passport gates 

• Get students to check their mobile phone providers' roaming charges

Check the passport validity rules

Before Brexit, British citizens could travel to EU countries on a passport right up to the point it expired. Now, each EU country sets its own entry rules relating to the validity of British passports.

For Austria, your passport must be as follows:

• Date of issue must be less than 10 years before the date you enter Austria

• Expiry date must be at least 3 months after the day you leave Austria

To check the passport requirements for Austria, visit the Foreign Office website. Please remember to allow plenty of time to apply for a new passport if required. 

Prepare for additional EU border checks from November 2024

You may have heard about new EES and ETIAS systems for British nationals travelling to Europe from 2024. Here's what you need to know about the new entry systems:

The new EES border system was originally expected to launch in October 2024, but has been pushed back to November 10th after lobbying by French officials with the possibility of it being postponed until 17 November if member states are not ready by that deadline.

• The Entry/Exit System (EES) will collect biometric data, such as face recognition and fingerprints, at the EU border using booths similar to the passport machines you see at airports  

• The EES is now expected to be operational from 10th November 2024 

• From this date you will need to allow plenty of extra time for your group to have their face and fingerprints scanned, especially those travelling via Dover and Folkestone

ETIAS expected for EU trips from Spring 2025

All non-EU passport holders will need to apply online for an ETIAS from late Spring 2025

• The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is an online visa waiver scheme for UK citizens, similar to ESTA in the USA

• All British passport holders, including children, will need to apply online for permission to enter the Schengen area  

• The ETIAS will be valid for 3 years and is expected to cost €7 for adults, free for under-18s.

• Though no official date has been announced for ETIAS, it is expected to be in place six months after the introduction of the EES border checks  

Visa rules for non-UK passport holders in your group

Some EU countries offer their own visa exemptions for third-country nationals (non-UK/non-EU) on a school trip from the UK. You can find a list of visa exemption schemes for other EU destinations on the European Commission website Travel documents for non-EU nationals - Your Europe (europa.eu)

Try to avoid collective passports 

Some countries stopped accepting collective/group passports once the UK left the EU, however Austria does still accept a collective passport. 

Please note: It is not clear how collective passports will work alongside the incoming EES and ETIAS systems.  To avoid worry at the border, we highly recommend that groups do not travel on a collective passport.

EHICs replaced by GHICs

The EHIC/GHIC gives holders access to state-provided emergency healthcare for free or reduced cost in the EU and Switzerland and can help reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses in the event that someone falls ill or has an accident while on a school trip.

The good news is that your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is still valid in the EU until it expires. You’ll be able to replace your EHIC with a GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) up to 6 months before your current card expires. 

Applying for a GHIC is free of charge on the NHS website. Beware of unofficial websites that charge you a fee to apply.  

Whether or not you have a GHIC or EHIC, your group will still need travel insurance to cover emergency healthcare costs, the GHIC or EHIC is not a substitution for travel insurance cover