Visiting the EU Post 12th October 2025

Sitter Questions, Advice & Chat
1

Here’s some important information for visitors to the EU after 12th October 2025, the date on which the new EES (Entry Exit System) starts to be rolled out. Part of the process is a declaration that visitors have sufficient funds in place to cover their stay and this varies greatly. I’ve copied and pasted this from a reliable online source, but not verified any of the data personally. Of special note is the requirement for Spain, which additionally requires a paper copy of a bank statement, not online verification.

Territory tariffs for each day of stay

In increasing order, these are the amounts each nation demands from third-country nationals, along with other requirements.

€14: Latvia

The traveller must also have, though, “financial resources sufficient to pay for the planned accommodation and/or, if travelling with a private vehicle, financial resources sufficient to buy the fuel needed for the journey”.

€18: Poland

75 zloty per day with a minimum of 300 zloty. These figures are reduced to 20 zloty and 100 zloty respectively for those who have “had the cost of the stay in the Republic of Poland paid”.

€25: Hungary

10,000 forints, in a form such as “confirmation of board and lodging reserved and paid in advance by means of a travel agency voucher” or “any other credible proof”.

€39: Sweden

SEK430 per day.

€40 (with a €70 entry fee): Portugal

The authorities say: “Aliens who are able to prove that their board and lodging are guaranteed for the duration of their stay may be exempted from paying the above amounts.”

€43: Norway

“As an indication, an amount of NOK500 per day is deemed to be adequate for visitors who are not staying with relations or friends.”

€45: Germany

“Funds could take the form of a telegraphic money order”.

€48: Malta

€50: Lithuania and Romania

€50: Denmark

350 Danish crowns for each 24 hours

€50 (“approximately”): Finland

€50 with a minimum of €300: Greece

€50 with a minimum of €500: Bulgaria

An extra €50 per day if you do not have a prepaid room.

€54 with a minimum of €270: Italy

It’s complicated. The minimum for a single person is €270, which covers a stay of up to five days. For two or more people travelling together, the minimum falls to €213. For six to 10 days, the rate per day is €45 solo, or €26 in company.

€55: Netherlands

The Dutch government says: “This criterion is applied flexibly, since the required amount of the means of subsistence is determined on the basis of the planned duration of the stay, the reason for the visit and the personal circumstances of the person concerned.”

€56: Slovakia

Meticulously broken down into: €30 for accommodation; €4 for breakfast; €7.50 for lunch; €7.50 for dinner; €7 for spending money.

€56 with a minimum of €280: Iceland

ISK8,000 per day with a minimum of ISK40,000

€64: Czech Republic

1,565 Czech crowns, comprising “cash, credit cards or traveller’s cheques in the third-country national’s possession”.

€65: France

This amount applies “in the case of presentation of a hotel booking”. If you cannot provide such evidence, the rate increases to €120. In addition, the French authorities say: “You must have an insurance certificate covering all medical and hospital expenses for which you may be liable for the duration of your stay in France, as well as medical repatriation costs and expenses in the event of death.”

€70: Estonia, Slovenia and Croatia

In the case of Croatia, the sum is reduced to €30 with “proof of a tourist booking”.

€89: Luxembourg

“The minimum wage for an unskilled worker”. The Independent calculates this is currently €89 per day. “In addition, third-country nationals must present a transport ticket for return to their country of origin or for transit to a country in which their admission is guaranteed.”

€95: Belgium

“If the alien is unable to furnish proof of any credit at all, he must have access to approximately €95 for each day of the planned stay. In most cases, the person concerned must in addition produce a travel ticket (airline ticket) enabling him to return to his country of origin or residence.”

€107: Switzerland and Liechtenstein

€113.40 with a minimum of €1,020.60: Spain

You must have “a recent bank statement or an up-to-date bank book”. The Spanish authorities add: “Internet bank statements are not acceptable.”

Non-specific: Austria

“Aliens shall be refused entry at the border if they have no place of residence in Austria and do not have sufficient means of subsistence to meet the costs of their stay and return. However, there are no reference amounts for the above. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis depending on the purpose, type and duration of the stay.

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It will also track that you don’t overstay the 90 days allowed in 180. You will need to provide fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths upon your first entry into the Schengen Area.

This replaces manual passport stamping with a digital record. Your e-record is valid for three years, after which you will need to provide biometric data again

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Wow thats going to be fun, proving you have enough money, especially in the case of not providing electronically. We are in the middle of 6 weeks across 6 countries and flying in through Helsinki no questions asked so it was very quick, we were transitioning straight to Tallin. We did have all our accommodation booked (no sitting) but still. Short trips relatively simple, but longer stays will be more time consuming.

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Thanks for posting @TheEnglishFlaneur I’m currently on a sit in one of the pricier regions for the best part of a month – something which would have been almost impossible had I travelled here a few days later than I did and had to prove that I had sufficient funding.

It begs the question, what about those who are visiting ‘friends’ (albeit furry ones in my case), or people who have booked a holiday where accommodation and meals have already been paid for up front? It doesn’t exactly seem conducive to encouraging international travel and tourism.

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My understanding is this; the EES will require tourists to make an electronic declaration that they have sufficient funding, medical insurance, return tickets, accommodation bookings etc on arrival. Only if a border agent has reason will actual checks be made. Some countries may enforce the requirements more strictly than others. It’s up to travellers to familiarise themselves with the requirements, ignorance won’t be any defence.

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I don’t think it’s meant to be conducive, it the punishment for leaving the EU. We have been taking printed copies of bank statements to Spain for last 3 years but have never been asked for it. I think we may need to have Home Owners write a letter in the future to fulfil the bit about accommodation being provided . Are THS admin addressing these issues? Last night it said on the news they are starting with lorry drivers and coach passengers.

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I think it will only be Spain that won’t accept an online statement and insist on a paper copy. But, it will be a very rare event to be asked to provide such proof.

Of course once a tourist has entered the Schengen zone and then goes on to visit other countries within the zone they won’t be rechecked, since there are no internal border controls

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Well when we crossed into Poland from Lithuania a week ago border control checked the train and looked at our passports. So too earlier in the year on a bus from Spain to France. No questions either time, but had to present our passports. Seems to be tightening up.

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Are these requirements somehow applied only to U.K. citizens? If not, how would this be punishment for leaving the EU?

Instead, it seems like more of the same that various countries have been practicing unofficially or inconsistently for many years — like if you watch old shows on border security across various countries, agents sometimes ask visitors to share their hotel info or local address, ability to support themselves during their stay, etc.

Makes sense that countries don’t want to end up with indigent visitors. They also check to avoid travelers doing unauthorized work or potentially committing crimes to support themselves. None of that prohibits legit tourism.

It used to be more challenging for countries to track such info, but their technology has finally caught up.

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BTW, Spain’s paper requirement is stupid. It’s easier for someone to cook up a fake paper statement vs. if you say ask someone to log into their bank app and show you their current balance.

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11

I’ve seen this mention about it being some sort of punishment before. That somehow the EU is taking it’s revenge on the UK for Brexit. The fact is that the UK isn’t being singled out for anything, but will be treated from 12th October with the introduction of the EES like all other non-EU countries e.g. the US, Australian, New Zealand, Canada, China, Brazil, India.

EES was first discussed among EU member states in 2017 and was known to be in the pipeline by the government at the time of the Brexit negotiations.

Quite how this adds up to punishment is beyond me.

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That’s entirely understandable with the war in Ukraine close by. Likewise from time to time the Germans have done the same on their borders, but for different reasons i.e. illegal immigrants. It’s a bone of contention within Europe as freedom of movement is one of the founding principles.

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Yes, agreed. Spain’s requirements do seem rather odd, the paper statement and the amount that a tourist could be asked to have available. I doubt the requirements will have much if any impact on most law abiding citizens. But, it could give the Spanish authorities a tool to deport anyone who misbehaves e.g. drinks too much.

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It’s a myth that the introduction of the and later next year the ETIAS visa system is a punishment for Brexit. I could explain here an easy way and not illegal to dodge the 90/180 days limitations of visiting and staying in the EU. Many of these methods will no longer be available when immigration checks are digitised and shared across member states. When someone exits the EU and their passport is scanned it will automatically make any border agent aware that the holder has stayed longer than permittted,

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If they are not illegal why will they be stopped with the digital checks ?

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As far as I know it’s for non Schengen citizens. (Eg I am Irish so don’t have same rules as my husband who is British. My passport never gets stamped his does in and out of the country).

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Because until the introduction of EES passports are ‘wet’ stamped and information is not shared between member states. That means an official scouring through a passport and manually checking entry and exit dates and adding up days spent in the EU. With an older passport(s) with stamps and visas from lots of countries that’s a time consuming task. A border agent is most likely not going to bother, unless they have a good reason and the time to carry out a manual check. I know several people who have relied on this and will now need a rethink. I also know of someone who tried to exploit this loophole and was caught out, they were fined 300 Euros.

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It’s slightly different for a married couple where one person has a passport from a member state. The other person has certain rights and can be allowed to stay with their partner for more than 90/180, but only in one country. I think this is something like the right to a family life. For Brits visiting Ireland there are no such limitations, because of the Common Travel Area.

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I would only declare at immigration I am staying at a friend’s house and give the address. I would Avoid mentioning petsitting! In 8 years of petsitting worldwide travel this has worked and have never been asked for an address. :slight_smile:

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So it anlready was “illegal” but not so easy to get caught.

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