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 

• 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 (we recommend having at least 6 months validity to avoid any issues)

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

You may have heard about the new Entry/Exit System (EES) and European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) planned for British nationals travelling to Europe. Here’s what you need to know about these upcoming systems:

The EES border system was initially expected to launch in October 2024. However, its implementation has been postponed several times and is now expected to become operational in October 2025. When it does launch, the EES will collect biometric data—such as face recognition and fingerprints—at EU borders, using booths similar to the automated passport machines seen at airports.

Travellers are advised to allow for additional time for biometric checks once it is operational. This will be especially relevant for those crossing at Dover and Folkestone.

ETIAS now expected for EU trips in last quarter of 2026

All non-EU passport holders will need to apply online for an ETIAS (no action is required from travellers at this time)

• 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