On Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade refreshed a string of Smartraveller advisories for European destinations including Italy, France, Norway and Austria, each stamped "Still current at 28 June 2026". While the overall risk levels remain unchanged, the pages now place the planned European Entry/Exit System (EES) front-and-centre, reminding Australians that they will have fingerprints and a photo taken on arrival—even when travelling visa-free. EES—due to start later this year—will automatically clock every non-EU traveller’s 90-day limit in the Schengen Area. DFAT cautions that over-stays will be easier for local authorities to detect and could lead to fines or re-entry bans. Dual nationals are told to carefully choose which passport to present, as the EES rules apply to whichever document they use to enter. For Australian corporates the message is clear: factor extra time at land and air borders, brief staff on biometric capture, and check that multi-country itineraries stay within the 90/180-day allowance. Mobility teams should also revisit assignment-tracking tools; after EES goes live any accidental over-stay will be visible to immigration officers across the bloc.
![Canberra re-issues Schengen travel advisories, warns Australians of new EU biometric border checks]()
For travellers wanting extra peace of mind, VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers step-by-step guidance, document checklists and concierge support for Schengen visas, upcoming ETIAS authorisations and other travel requirements—helping individuals and corporate mobility teams stay compliant and avoid costly delays.
DFAT’s update notes that temporary land-border checks—re-introduced by some EU states for security reasons—may become more common during the EES roll-out. Travellers transiting between Italy and Slovenia are already advised to allow additional time. Although no visa is required for short business trips, Australian companies sending frequent flyers to Europe should review whether the upcoming ETIAS travel authorisation (now slated for mid-2027) will add further pre-departure steps.
For travellers wanting extra peace of mind, VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) offers step-by-step guidance, document checklists and concierge support for Schengen visas, upcoming ETIAS authorisations and other travel requirements—helping individuals and corporate mobility teams stay compliant and avoid costly delays.
DFAT’s update notes that temporary land-border checks—re-introduced by some EU states for security reasons—may become more common during the EES roll-out. Travellers transiting between Italy and Slovenia are already advised to allow additional time. Although no visa is required for short business trips, Australian companies sending frequent flyers to Europe should review whether the upcoming ETIAS travel authorisation (now slated for mid-2027) will add further pre-departure steps.
