Overview

• The EU’s Entry‑Exit System will replace passport stamping with automated biometric registration from October 12, using a six‑month phased rollout to full operation on April 10, 2026, with data accessible to member‑state law enforcement and Europol.
• Non‑EU visitors, including Britons, must provide fingerprints and a facial image on their first Schengen crossing, creating a record retained for three years; children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting.
• EES checks will be conducted before departure at UK juxtaposed controls in Dover, Eurotunnel Folkestone and St Pancras, and travellers do not need to complete any pre‑travel application.
• Aviation economist Oliver Ranson warns that arrivals at Athens, Bucharest and Milan Malpensa are most at risk of severe congestion during rollout, with the possibility of diversions or cancellations if processing stalls.
• Preparation is under way with new kiosks and staffing, including UK funding of £3.5 million each for Eurostar, Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover, while operators say the added checks should take only a few minutes.