Travelers to Europe from North America will soon face new entry requirements as the European Union (EU) rolls out two major systems designed to streamline border processes and bolster security. The first of these, the Entry/Exit System (EES), will go live in October, with full implementation expected by April 2026. The EES aims to replace traditional passport stamping with an automated, electronic process that tracks non-EU nationals entering and exiting the Schengen Area for short stays.

Because most of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s work is deemed “essential,” deportation operations will continue without significant impact during a shutdown, according to the American Immigration Council.

It may do no more than provoke more exhausting court challenges, but the Monday announcement by Donald Trump that he would lead more challenges to the American federal election system as carried out in states could affect whether U.S. citizens residing abroad can participate in the 2026 midterms, and other elections.

A growing number of U.S. expats are considering renouncing their citizenship due to mounting emotional, financial and political costs, according to the 2025 Expat Trends Survey. 

“Remittance” may not be in many people’s vocabularies, but lawmakers have been batting the word back and forth across the U.S.-Mexico border since the Trump administration proposed taxing at five percent money electronically sent by foreigners living in the United States to their home countries. 

Many students from this region applying for U.S. visas—whether for study or tourism—are likely to have their social media activity examined by U.S. authorities.