Paris & Rome for the holidays,
with Europe's new border check
Passport stamps are gone and fingerprints are in. Here is what to expect, and where to stay in style.
This guide is for non-EU travelers planning a festive trip to Paris or Rome this year. Two border facts to know first. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since April 10, 2026: instead of a passport stamp, your name, travel document details, fingerprints and a facial image are recorded with the date and place you enter and leave. And ETIAS, the EU's travel authorization, is not in operation yet: the European Commission says no applications are being collected and the start date will be announced several months in advance. So for a visa-free holiday this December, you do not need to apply for ETIAS. Below: how to make the new border check painless, and where to stay for a five-star holiday in both cities.
What is the EES and what happens at the border?
The Entry/Exit System is the EU's digital register of short-stay visitors from outside the EU. It began a phased start on October 12, 2025 and became fully operational on April 10, 2026, according to the European Commission. It covers the external borders of 29 European countries, including France and Italy.
- What is recorded: your name, travel document data, fingerprints and a facial image, plus the date and place of each entry and exit.
- No more stamps: the EES replaces passport stamping, so your days in the area are counted automatically.
- First time is the slowest: your biometric details are captured on your first crossing, so allow extra time at the airport, especially during the busy holiday weeks.
Do I need ETIAS for Europe this winter?
Not yet. The European Commission states that ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications are collected, and that the EU will announce the start date several months before launch. When it does start, the fee has been set at €20.
Because nothing can be applied for today, be wary of any website offering to “process” an ETIAS for you now. The short-stay rule itself is unchanged: visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the area.
Where to stay in Paris for the holidays
- Place Vendôme and the Tuileries (1st) — palace hotels around the jewelers of Place Vendôme, steps from the Louvre and the Tuileries gardens.
- Triangle d'Or (8th) — Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Élysées, with grand hotels, couture houses and the avenue's festive lights.
- Saint-Germain-des-Prés (6th) — Left Bank cafés, galleries and a more intimate feel.
December highlights include the elaborate holiday windows of the grand department stores on Boulevard Haussmann. Days are short, so plan museums in the afternoon and lights after dark.
Where to stay in Rome for the holidays
- Spanish Steps and Via Condotti — Rome's luxury shopping streets, with hotels perched above the steps.
- Via Veneto and Villa Borghese — grand hotels near the park and the Borghese Gallery.
- Piazza Navona and the Pantheon — the historic center on foot, with the square's traditional Christmas market in season.
Rome's Christmas is about nativity scenes in churches, festive lights along Via del Corso and celebrations at St. Peter's — check the Vatican's schedule and ticketing well ahead if you hope to attend a papal ceremony.
Paris and Rome in one trip?
Many travelers combine the two with a short flight. Under the EES, moving between France and Italy is travel within the Schengen area, so the new registration happens when you first arrive from outside and again when you finally leave — not at every hop between the two cities. Allow extra time at those first and last airports.
Where this information comes from
We checked these official European Commission pages on October 26, 2026. Please confirm before you travel:
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs — Entry/Exit System (EES)
- European Commission, Migration and Home Affairs — ETIAS
- EU official traveler site — travel-europe.europa.eu
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❓ Frequently asked questions
Do I need ETIAS to visit Paris or Rome in December 2026?
No. The European Commission says ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are being collected. The EU will announce the start date several months before launch.
What is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)?
A digital register of non-EU short-stay travelers. It records your name, travel document data, fingerprints, a facial image and the date and place of entry and exit, and it replaces passport stamping. It has been fully operational since April 10, 2026.
Will the EES make the airport slower?
Your first crossing takes longer while your fingerprints and photo are recorded. Allow extra time, especially during the busy holiday weeks.
Do I go through EES when flying between Paris and Rome?
No. France and Italy are both in the Schengen area, so the EES check happens when you enter from outside and when you finally leave.
How much will ETIAS cost?
The European Commission says the fee has been set at €20, applying once ETIAS is operational.
Where is the best area to stay in Paris for Christmas?
Place Vendôme and the Tuileries for classic palace hotels, the Triangle d'Or around Avenue Montaigne and the Champs-Élysées for festive lights and shopping, or Saint-Germain for a Left Bank feel.
Some links are Agoda affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Hotel rates were checked on Agoda and change often. Border rules are summarized from the official European Commission pages listed above as of October 26, 2026 — please confirm before you travel.