British nationals may face longer waits at border control when visiting a number of EU countries thanks to a new digital system that is being introduced this weekend.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) will be gradually rolled out across Europe over six months from Sunday 12 October.
It will see the manual stamping of passports scrapped in favour of non-EU citizens registering their biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, automating the process of registering travellers’ entries and exits.
But which countries will it apply to, how will it work and why is it being introduced?
Which countries will have the Entry/Exit System?
It will apply to 25 EU countries in the Schengen area and four other countries in the same region, but which are not part of the EU.
Here’s the full list:
• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
Manual passport stamping will continue to be used in Ireland and Cyprus.
Who does it apply to?
The system applies if you are a non-EU national, including from the UK, who is travelling to an EU country for a short stay, which means up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Children under the age of 12 will be exempt from giving fingerprints, but they will still need to have their faces scanned for the system.
There are exemptions which are listed here.
How will it work?
The EES will register the person’s name, type of travel document, biometric data – fingerprints and captured facial images – and the date and place of entry and exit.
When you first visit one of the listed countries after the EES is adopted, you will need to register your details at an automated kiosk.
In normal circumstances, you will complete the EES checks when you arrive at your destination airport or port in a purpose-built booth.
However, if you enter one of the countries through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International, EES checks will be completed at the border before you leave the UK. EES kiosks have been installed specifically for this purpose.
This will mean passengers will have to get out of their cars to register at the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover. The latter will have an EES processing site at the Western docks.
You do not need to take any action before arriving at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration.
Your digital EES record will be valid for three years before it has to be renewed.
If you enter the Schengen area again during this time, you will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border, when you enter and exit.
During the initial rollout, manual stamping of passports is set to continue, but the system is expected to completely replace it from 10 April 2026.
Could there be longer queues?
The government has warned that there may be longer waiting times than usual at the border once the system starts, as it will take each passenger an extra minute or two to join the EES.
Naomi Leach, deputy editor of Which? Travel, told Sky News that travellers should allow more time for their journeys on the other side if they are flying.
“It is worth booking later transfers, car hire or other onward travel,” she suggested.
Though countries are obliged to get going with the new system from Sunday, they have six months to complete the rollout.
It is hoped that this, mixed with the fact the rollout is not starting during peak travelling seasons, will help limit the impact on passengers.
The Independent’s travel editor Simon Calder told Sky News that passengers should still expect longer queues when they reach their destinations, but that it will likely vary depending on where they are going.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
He said: “I’ve contacted all 29 of the nations involved and some of them, specifically the Czech Republic, Estonia, Luxembourg, say they’ll be ready from day one, everybody travelling in and out is going to be checked.
“But in Spain, for instance, they say they’re going to check exactly one flight coming into Madrid airport and after that they’re going to roll things out gradually at the international airports, then the roads crossings, then the seaports.”
Mr Calder has been told that Dusseldorf will be the starting point in Germany.
He also said countries can largely pause the implementation at various points if waiting times grow too long.
Concerns over delays at ports
The Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International will be gradually rolling out the EES.
Only drivers and passengers on coaches and freight are expected to join the EES initially at Dover and Folkestone, while the Eurostar says there will be “minimal changes” at St Pancras to start with.
But some concerns were raised when the Port of Dover said it would take up to six minutes per vehicle for EES registration – up from the 30 to 60 seconds it takes for a car to get through the border without the EES.
But Port of Dover CEO Doug Bannister said he was confident a £40m investment in new infrastructure would pay off.
“We have purposely designed these facilities to handle our peak volume days [in the summer]… whilst ensuring that there is no queuing or congestion on the external road network,” he said.
He said the EU has also allowed for so-called “precautionary measures” during the first six months post full operation of EES, adding: “What that will allow us to do is dial back on the process if we have to, if the traffic volumes are going to be larger than we anticipated.”
A spokesperson for the government said: “While we have done everything we can to ensure the required infrastructure is in place, anyone who is planning a trip to the European mainland once these checks are introduced will still need to allow more time for their journey as the new EU systems bed in.”
What happens to your data?
The European Commission says the data being collected when you use the EES is:
• The information listed in your travel document(s) (e.g. full name, date of birth, etc.)
• Date and place of each entry and exit
• Facial image and fingerprints
• Whether you were refused entry
This data will be stored in the system and cannot be transferred to third parties – except in specific cases, which you can read about here.
Your data will be used by countries for several reasons, including identifying travellers who aren’t allowed to enter, finding those using fake identities, and helping to prevent and investigate serious crimes.
If you refuse to provide your biometric data, you will be denied entry.
Why is it being implemented?
The EU says the new system is aimed at making several improvements to the manual stamping system, which the European Commission views as time-consuming and unreliable in providing data on border crossings.
It says the EES will make border checks more modern, efficient, easier and faster. It says that once they are registered, travellers will spend less time at the border thanks to faster checks.
It is also aimed at preventing illegal migration. It says the EES will help track who comes in and out of the Schengen countries better than the old system, using fingerprint and face data to stop people from overstaying, using fake identities or misusing visa-free travel.
It also says the EES will increase security in the countries, giving the authorities access to important traveller information and helping them to spot security risks and support the fight against serious crimes and terrorism.
