Overview
- French officials agreed with operators to remove extra on-screen admissibility questions at St Pancras, Dover and Eurotunnel for the initial six months, shifting them to targeted checks only.
- Kiosks at some French-controlled posts had asked travelers about return tickets, sufficient funds, accommodation and medical insurance, creating confusion and slowing processing.
- Early deployment has produced long waits for non‑EU arrivals, with reports of two to four hour queues at Geneva, Tenerife South, Brussels and delays in Lisbon and Prague as some kiosks were closed or slow.
- At Geneva, only 10 of 17 kiosks were operating and enrollments took several minutes per person before a second line for passport control, compounding congestion.
- The EU’s Entry/Exit System went live on 12 October in a six‑month phased rollout toward full operation by April 2026, replacing passport stamps for short stays; first‑time enrollees provide fingerprints and a facial image, with checks at Dover, Eurotunnel and Eurostar performed on UK soil.