Overview
- The EU’s Entry/Exit System launched on 12 October, requiring most non‑EU short‑stay travelers to register passport data, a facial image and fingerprints, with fingerprints not taken from children under 12 and records retained for three years.
- Member states are introducing the system progressively, with targets to register 10% of travelers by 30 days, 35% by 90 days and 50% by 150 days, and full deployment due by 10 April 2026 while passport stamping continues in the interim.
- Eurostar reported encouraging transaction times of about 50 seconds at London St Pancras, where 49 kiosks are being installed and French officers are handling initial processing before wider kiosk pre‑registration comes online.
- Following discussions with French authorities, Eurostar confirmed that kiosk questions about return tickets, funds, accommodation and medical insurance are being removed during the initial six‑month phase to reduce confusion and delays.
- Early operational issues were uneven, with Prague’s airport experiencing kiosk outages and long queues that required manual processing, while travel bodies advised passengers to allow extra time as countries bring more sites online.