Overview

• Entry/Exit System rollout begins October 12 with progressive activation across external Schengen borders until full operation on April 10, 2026.
• First-time entrants after launch register at kiosks with passport, facial image and four fingerprints, then reuse the digital record for three years on subsequent trips.
• Travel analysts warn of potential short-term congestion at arrivals, highlighting Athens, Bucharest and Milan Malpensa as most vulnerable to delays, gate holds or even diversions.
• UK hubs are preparing for outbound checks, with government funding of £3.5 million each to Eurostar, Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover and plans for new kiosks at stations and ports.
• Authorities say no pre-travel data is required and checks occur on arrival, with EES also applied at Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras; during heavy queues officers may reduce sampling to keep flows moving.