Overview

• The EU’s Entry/Exit System went live on 12 October as a six‑month phased rollout, with full operation due by April 2026.
• Prague’s Václav Havel Airport saw self-service kiosks down on day one, forcing manual processing and long queues before systems were restored.
• Eurostar’s Simon Lejeune told peers some St Pancras transactions were completed in about 50 seconds, with 49 pre‑registration kiosks to be activated in the coming weeks.
• Travel bodies urge passengers to allow extra time and consider off‑peak travel, noting countries can temporarily scale back checks to ease congestion and may expand e‑gate access and future app pre‑registration.
• EES enrollment captures fingerprints, a facial image and passport data for most non‑EU travellers aged 12+, creating a three‑year record, with exemptions for categories such as residence permit holders and diplomats and an eventual end to passport stamping.