ESTA fee + passport check
Verify ESTA eligibility, the $40.27 fee, and your passport buffer for VWP travelers.
Open ESTA fee + passport checkTravel compliance + readiness
Travel-ready in 60 seconds
A growing library of free tools for the questions every international traveler asks: entry requirements, border fees, passport rules, travel documents, connectivity costs, and airline limits.
Where are you headed?
Browse all tools
29 tools available
100% free
No paywall and no account — every tool is free to use, every time.
Sourced & dated
Each tool cites the official rule (EU regs, CBP, IATA) with a verification date.
No sign-up
No login, cookieless analytics, and your inputs never leave your browser.
Each tool is its own single-purpose app. Tap a tile to open it.
Tools
Before you book
Check you can actually go — visas, entry permits, passports, eligibility.
ETIAS fee + passport check
Verify ETIAS eligibility, the €20 fee, and your passport buffer in 30 seconds.
Open ETIAS fee + passport checkGlobal Entry vs TTP eligibility
Which CBP Trusted Traveler Program fits you — Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST — and do you qualify?
Open Global Entry vs TTP eligibilityInternational Driving Permit per country
IDP required y/n + Vienna 1968 vs Geneva 1949 convention per destination.
Open International Driving Permit per countryPassport photo spec checker
Validate passport photo dimensions and quality per country (US 2x2, EU 35x45mm, UK ICAO).
Open Passport photo spec checkerPassport validity buffer
Check the 6-month rule and country-specific buffer at your destination.
Open Passport validity bufferPet travel + quarantine to EU requirements
EU pet passport + microchip + rabies + tapeworm + per-country quarantine rules for dogs/cats/ferrets.
Open Pet travel + quarantine to EU requirementsSchengen 90/180 calculator
How many days you have left in the Schengen rolling window.
Open Schengen 90/180 calculatorTravel insurance EU coverage checker
Compare per-trip vs annual EU travel insurance (Schengen visa minimum 30k, EHIC vs private).
Open Travel insurance EU coverage checkerUK ETA transit checker
Do you need a UK ETA for transit or layover? Country-by-country answer.
Open UK ETA transit checkerTravel vaccination requirements by country
Required + recommended vaccines per destination (CDC + WHO + national health agencies).
Open Travel vaccination requirements by countryVisa on arrival eligibility checker
Visa on arrival, eVisa or visa-free? Check eligibility and fees for your passport + destination.
Open Visa on arrival eligibility checkerBefore you fly
Pack it right — bags, gear, connectivity, and what you're allowed to bring.
Alcohol & tobacco travel allowance
How much alcohol and tobacco can you bring duty-free? EU (Dir 2007/74/EC) and US (CBP) traveller allowances.
Open Alcohol & tobacco travel allowanceCabin bag fit + fee checker
Will your carry-on fit the airline sizer? Includes overage fees.
Open Cabin bag fit + fee checkereSIM vs roaming cost calculator
Compare eSIM providers (Airalo/Holafly/Saily) vs carrier roaming charges per destination + days + data GB.
Open eSIM vs roaming cost calculatorJet lag recovery time planner
Estimate days to recover from jet lag per east/west direction + time-zones crossed + age.
Open Jet lag recovery time plannerAirline luggage restrictions checker
Per-airline carry-on dimensions + weight + checked baggage allowance + overweight fees.
Open Airline luggage restrictions checkerMedication customs restrictions per country
Bring prescription drugs across borders — INCB schedule + per-country narcotics + Schengen medical certificate.
Open Medication customs restrictions per countryTravel adapter + wattage matcher
Plug type + voltage match for your destination and device.
Open Travel adapter + wattage matcherTravel card FX fee comparison
Compare Revolut/Wise/N26/Curve/traditional bank FX fees for international card use.
Open Travel card FX fee comparisonPower bank airline compliance
Wh calculator and IATA <100/160Wh rule check per airline.
Open Power bank airline complianceVoltage converter checker
Voltage converter or just a plug adapter? Check your device + destination before you fry it.
Open Voltage converter checkerAt the border
Cross smoothly — declarations, biometrics, and reclaiming what's yours.
Cash declaration at the border
Do you have to declare your cash? EU €10,000 (Reg 2018/1672) and US $10,000 (FinCEN 105) rules by direction.
Open Cash declaration at the borderEU Entry/Exit System (EES) readiness check
Are you ready for EES biometric registration at Schengen borders? Live since 12 Oct 2025, fully operational since 10 Apr 2026.
Open EU Entry/Exit System (EES) readiness checkIf something goes wrong
Delays, lost bags, emergencies — know what you're owed and who to call.
Delayed baggage compensation checker
What the airline owes you for delayed, damaged or lost checked bags — Montreal Convention 1,519 SDR cap, step by step.
Open Delayed baggage compensation checkerEmbassy + consulate locator + emergency
Find your nearest embassy/consulate abroad + emergency contact + lost passport process.
Open Embassy + consulate locator + emergencyFlight delay compensation (EU261) checker
Does your delayed or cancelled flight qualify for EUR 250-600 under EU Regulation 261/2004? Distance + delay + airline answer.
Open Flight delay compensation (EU261) checkerTravel insurance claim process guide
File a travel insurance claim correctly: per-scenario documents, deadlines and escalation steps.
Open Travel insurance claim process guideVAT refund for tourists leaving EU
How much VAT you can reclaim at EU exit, minimum thresholds per country, and what you need.
Open VAT refund for tourists leaving EUGuides
Deep reads on the rules behind the tools. Every figure is dated, sourced, and checked against the official source.
Start here
International travel requirements 2026: EES, ETIAS, ESTA and UK ETA
The complete 2026 guide to travel compliance: EES biometrics, the ETIAS €20 authorisation, the $40.27 ESTA, the £20 UK ETA, passport buffers, cabin electronics and connectivity, all with official sources and verification dates.
- EES vs ETIAS: which one applies to your trip?EES is live (since 12 October 2025) and registers your biometrics at the border; ETIAS launches in Q4 2026 and is a €20 pre-travel authorisation. What each system does, who is exempt, and what changes for you.
- EU border crossing guide for non-EU travelers (2026)The four rules that decide whether you are admitted at a Schengen external border in 2026: ETIAS status, the 90/180-day limit, passport validity, and customs declarations, each with worked examples.
- Delayed or lost baggage compensation under the Montreal ConventionCheck delayed or lost baggage compensation under the Montreal Convention: the 1,519 SDR liability cap, 7/21-day deadlines, and how to claim in 2026.
- Travel electronics rules 2026: power banks, voltage and cabin limitsThe IATA/ICAO 100 Wh power-bank rule with worked examples, plug-adapter vs voltage-converter, and per-airline cabin-bag limits, all sourced from IATA DGR 2026, ICAO Doc 9284, TSA and EASA.
- eSIM vs roaming: cost and coverage comparison (2026)Carrier day-pass roaming runs ~$12/day; a Europe eSIM is $4.50–$47 for a whole trip. Verified plan prices, regional coverage gaps, and a pre-flight setup checklist.
2026 at a glance
Border systems, fees and liability caps moved repeatedly between late 2025 and mid 2026. Most older articles still cite at least one superseded figure. This table is the current state. Each row links the tool that computes your case against the verified dataset behind it, and the per-dataset verification dates live in the methodology.
| Rule / fee | Current figure | In force since | Check your case |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU Entry/Exit System (EES) | Live — biometric registration at Schengen borders | 12 Oct 2025 (fully operational 10 Apr 2026) | EES readiness check |
| ETIAS (EU pre-travel authorisation) | Not yet live — €20, ages 18–70 | launches Q4 2026 (day not announced) | ETIAS fee + passport check |
| U.S. ESTA fee | $40.27 (CPI-adjusted) | 1 Jan 2026 | ESTA fee + passport check |
| UK ETA fee | £20 (airside transit exempt) | 8 Apr 2026 | UK ETA transit checker |
| Schengen short-stay limit | 90 days in any rolling 180 | enforced via EES records | Schengen 90/180 calculator |
| Checked-baggage liability cap | 1,519 SDR (≈ USD 2,072) | 28 Dec 2024 (Montreal Convention) | Baggage compensation checker |
| Power bank cabin limit | 100 Wh without approval; 160 Wh max | IATA DGR baseline + per-airline overlays | Power bank compliance checker |
| EU flight delay compensation | €250 / €400 / €600 by distance | Regulation (EC) 261/2004, Art. 7 | EU261 compensation checker |
| Europe travel eSIM pricing | $4.50 (1 GB/7d) to $47 (30d unlimited) | provider plans verified 8 Jun 2026 | eSIM vs roaming calculator |
| EU cash declaration threshold | €10,000 or more must be declared | EU customs rules at entry/exit | VAT refund checker |
What this hub is
BorderTrip Tools is a family of free, single-purpose tools for international travelers. Each one deploys on its own subdomain and answers exactly one question from a versioned dataset with cited primary sources (the European Commission, CBP and the Federal Register, the UK Home Office, ICAO and IATA, the IMF). The hub you are on collects the directory, the deep guides that connect the rules, and the methodology behind the data. No account, no paywall. Some pages carry disclosed affiliate links that fund the project (about).
Start from your trip, not from the tool list
First trip to Europe from the US, Canada or the UK? Start with the passport buffer (three months past departure for Schengen). Next comes the biometric EES registration that now happens at the border, then connectivity (eSIM beats roaming by 80–90% on a two-week trip). There is nothing to pre-apply for until ETIAS launches in Q4 2026.
Frequent Schengen visitor? Your binding constraint is the rolling 90/180 window, now enforced from EES records rather than stamps. Model the next trip before booking, and keep the VAT refund and card FX fee tools in the loop for the money side.
Something already went wrong? Delayed flight in or from Europe goes to the EU261 checker. Bag didn’t arrive? Use the Montreal Convention checker (file the PIR before leaving the hall). Insurer in the loop? See the claim process guide. Passport lost abroad? Find the nearest embassy/consulate.
Hub questions, answered
Are these tools really free, and what’s the catch?
Free, no account, no paywall, no “premium tier”. The project is funded by disclosed affiliate links on a minority of pages (eSIM providers, Amazon for travel adapters): if you buy through one, the provider pays a commission and your price is unchanged. Placement is editorial. The comparison tools show providers we don’t earn from next to ones we do, with every price dated and sourced. Details in the affiliate disclosure.
Where do the numbers come from?
Every figure traces to a primary source: EU border rules to the European Commission and EUR-Lex, U.S. fees to CBP and the Federal Register, UK fees to Home Office publications, battery limits to IATA/ICAO rules and each airline’s published policy, liability caps to the Montreal Convention and the IMF’s SDR valuation, and commercial prices to the provider’s own published plans. Each dataset row stores the source URL and the date it was last checked. The methodology page documents the process.
How current is the data?
Each dataset shows its own verification date inside the tool, and dates only move when a human re-checks the figure against the source. We do not bump dates to look fresh. Datasets also declare a staleness threshold (30–120 days depending on how fast the domain moves); when data exceeds it, the tool badges the result as potentially stale instead of presenting it with false confidence.
Why one tool per question instead of one big site?
Because the questions are different shapes. “How many Schengen days do I have left?” is date math over your travel history; “Can my power bank fly?” is a Wh conversion against your airline’s policy table; “What does the airline owe me for a lost bag?” is a treaty cap and a currency conversion. Single-purpose tools keep each answer fast, auditable, and linkable. The guides connect them when your trip needs several at once.
Can I rely on a result at the border or the gate?
Treat results as a well-sourced briefing, not a ruling. Border officers and airline gate agents apply their own systems and discretion, and rules occasionally change faster than any tracker. Every result links the official source it was computed from. When the stakes are high (a visa decision, a non-refundable booking), click through and confirm the figure on the cited portal. The legal notice spells out the indicative-information posture.
Do the tools track me or store my inputs?
No accounts exist and the calculators run in your browser, so trip dates, passport numbers and battery specs are not stored server-side. Analytics is cookieless and aggregate. The one nuance: affiliate partners may set cookies if you accept the consent banner and click through to them, and that choice is yours, per the cookie policy and privacy policy.
I found an error. How do I report it?
Email microtools.contact@gmail.com with the tool URL and the source you checked against. Corrections ship as dataset updates with a fresh verification date, so the fix and its provenance stay visible. That is also how regulator changes (a fee adjustment, a new launch date) enter the tools.