New international travel rules for Europe coming into effect

New international travel rules across Europe come into effect next week, which will affect how people move between countries.

Travellers have been warned to expect longer border queues when a new digital entry and exit system is introduced across the European Union on October 12.

SmartTraveller advised non EU nationals, including Australian passport holders, going in and out of the Schengen area will need to create a digital record and register their biometric details from next week.

Travellers entering the Schengen area for the first time after the new system is introduced will need to answer questions, and have their fingerprints and photo taken.

When visitors return to the Schengen area within three years of creating their digital record they will only need to provide their fingerprint or photograph when they enter and exit at the border.

The Schengen area is made up of 29 European countries that allows travellers to move freely between Schengen countries without going through border controls or requiring a visa for each country.

The SmartTraveller website advised countries in the Schengen area include: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

European countries not included in the Schengen area include: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Cyprus, Georgia, Ireland, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Russia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.

Visitors to the Schengen area can only stay up to 90 days in every 180 days, and the period is attached to a person not a passport.

Overstayers can be fined, detained or banned from entering the EU.