Italy Travel Alerts & Entry Updates
Italy has implemented the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), leading to significant airport delays and a temporary return to manual passport stamping when queues exceed 45 minutes through September 30, 2026. Travelers must now pay 3.50 Euro fees and secure online reservations for beaches like La Pelosa and Tuerredda. Additionally, Italo high-speed rail inventory is now integrated into global aviation booking systems under code 9B for multi-modal travel planning.
Italy returns to passport stamps when EES lines exceed 45 minutes
Italian border officials warn that the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) could cause significant airport queues during peak summer periods. Travelers and expats should prepare for potential delays or temporary shifts back to manual passport processing if digital systems become overwhelmed.
Italy beach caps at La Pelosa and Tuerredda require €3.50 entry fees
Popular beaches in Sardinia and Lampedusa now require advance online reservations and enforce strict daily visitor limits. Travelers and digital nomads must secure time slots via QR codes or face being turned away from full coastal sites.
Italy high speed rail inventory joins global airline systems under code 9B
Travelers can now book Italo high-speed rail tickets directly through global aviation booking systems alongside their flights. This integration simplifies multi-modal itineraries for nomads and expats moving between major Italian cities and international airports.
Italy suspends EES biometric checks for 45 minute airport queues until Sept. 30
Italy has drafted an emergency decree allowing border police to revert to manual passport stamping during peak travel periods through Sept. 30. This measure aims to prevent gridlock at major airports as the EU transitions to the new Entry/Exit System.
Italy’s EES queues are running long
Ongoing effects from the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since April 10, 2026, continued to cause significant passport queues, hour-long delays, and bottlenecks at major gateways including Rome-Fiumicino, Milan-Malpensa, Pisa, and Florence in mid-to-late April. Reports from around April 22–23, 2026, highlight persistent long lines for non-EU travelers (including many digital nomads and expats), with fingerprinting/facial scans leading to missed flights and operational strain. This impacts short-stay entry for visa-free travelers.