Overview
- The system, which went live Friday across 29 countries, replaces passport stamping with fingerprint and face scans for most non‑EU visitors.
- Early operations are inconsistent, with reports of multi‑hour queues and technical glitches at some airports, including Lisbon, Krakow and busy Spanish hubs such as Malaga.
- At UK sites with French controls in Dover, Folkestone and London St Pancras, new kiosks stand unused because of connectivity problems, so officers are still processing passports manually.
- IATA and national travel advisories urge passengers to allow extra time, go straight to passport control after security, and expect slower processing as summer traffic builds.
- Registration is free and needs no pre‑trip sign‑up, but travellers should bring a biometric passport and be ready to provide fingerprints, a photo and trip details, with a separate ETIAS pre‑travel permit expected later in 2026.