Overview

• Launch starts Oct. 12 with a six‑month phase‑in; passports will continue to be stamped until full operation on April 10, 2026.
• Non‑EU short‑stay visitors will have a facial image and fingerprints taken to create a digital record valid for three years, with children under 12 generally exempt from fingerprinting.
• UK departure hubs at Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras will capture data before boarding; Eurostar is staging sign‑ups (Premier passengers from Oct. 12, fingerprinting from mid‑December, wider rollout in January) with 49 kiosks and more border booths.
• Kiosk users will answer standard border questions on accommodation, return ticket, funds and medical insurance; those giving negative answers will be referred to a guard, and countries such as France plan to enforce proof of funds (€41.58 per day), lodging, onward travel and medical cover.
• Authorities and airlines warn of longer waits at some points—especially popular winter routes such as the Canary Islands—while a separate ETIAS travel authorisation is targeted for late 2026 with a reported €20 fee and exemptions for under‑18s and over‑70s.