Tips & Advice · 6 min read · Updated 14 Sep 2026

What's happening with the EU's Entry Exit Scheme?

EES is live across all Schengen borders, but the picture has changed again. The formal EU-wide flexibility mechanism expired on 6 September as planned, yet nine countries, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Switzerland, are reported to have been quietly given informal permission by the European Commission to keep pausing checks anyway, with no deadline set for full enforcement. There's still no nationality-based exemption anywhere, including Greece, but how strictly EES is applied now depends heavily on which border you're crossing.

Update, 14 September: According to a Sunday Times report, at least nine Schengen countries, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Switzerland, have told the European Commission they won't enforce EES checks in full until the technology is working reliably, and have informally been allowed to keep pausing them with no time limit in place. This sits alongside, rather than replacing, the formal flexibility mechanism that expired on schedule on 6 September after the Commission rejected a joint request from those same nine countries to extend it. In practice this means enforcement is inconsistent and can vary airport by airport, even day by day, so we've softened our travel advice below: assume checks could be full or partial and build in extra time regardless.

Short on time? Let us summarise this guide for you.

The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) is legally in force across all 29 Schengen countries, which must register every non-EU traveller, including UK nationals, with biometrics at every border crossing. Greece tried exempting British travellers in April 2026 but was made to reverse this by the European Commission by the end of May: there is no nationality-based exemption anywhere, and Brits go through exactly the same checks as everyone else. Until 6 September, member states could temporarily pause biometric collection at a specific border point if it became too congested to cope. That formal mechanism expired on schedule despite nine countries, Italy, Portugal, Greece, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Malta and Switzerland, formally asking the Commission to extend it. But according to a Sunday Times report on 13 September, those same nine countries have separately told Brussels they won't enforce EES checks in full until the technology works properly, and have informally been allowed to keep pausing them with no deadline attached. In practice, enforcement now varies by airport and can change day to day, so treat any specific queue-time figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. The tips that make the biggest practical difference are: travel carry-on only and sit near the front of the plane; time your flight to avoid peak landing windows; download the pre-registration app; and go straight to passport control once you're through security, duty-free and coffee can wait. Critically: fast-track security lanes do not speed up passport control. ETIAS, the separate advance travel authorisation UK visitors will eventually need, was targeted for Q4 2026 but is now widely expected to slip into 2027, so there's nothing to act on yet.

If you're heading to Europe this year, EES is now a firm part of the journey. The phased rollout that began on 12 October 2025 completed its mandatory full implementation on 10 April 2026, meaning every Schengen border point is legally required to register all non-EU travellers biometrically.

Whether that happens in full at your particular airport is a different question. The formal flexibility mechanism that let member states temporarily pause biometric collection at congested border points expired on schedule on 6 September, and Brussels rejected a joint request from nine countries to extend it further into the autumn. But a report in the Sunday Times on 13 September says at least nine Schengen countries, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Switzerland, have separately told the European Commission they won't enforce EES checks in full until the technology and systems are working properly, and have informally been given permission to keep pausing them with no time limit apparently attached. Here's where things stand now.

What is EES?

EES is a new digital border system for non-EU travellers (including UK citizens). On your first encounter you provide biometrics (fingerprints and a facial image); on later trips, the system matches your passport to that record automatically. It's designed to eventually replace manual passport stamping altogether, though the formal congestion-pause option that let staff revert to a manual stamp at busy border points expired on 6 September as scheduled.

The EU began introducing EES on 12 October 2025 and completed the phased rollout on 10 April 2026. From that date, all 29 Schengen countries have had to register every non-EU national at every border crossing, with a temporary exception for congestion-triggered flexibility that several member states were using. That formal exception has expired, but reporting from 13 September suggests at least nine of those countries have been quietly allowed to keep pausing checks anyway while their systems catch up, with no confirmed end date.

There's no pre-registration or fee for EES itself, and if you get a new passport you'll need to enrol again because your biometrics are linked to that document. A "Travel to Europe" mobile app (iOS/Android) lets you pre-enter passport details and, at some airports, upload a facial image before arrival, worth downloading before you fly.

What countries are affected?

Legally mandatory at all borders, but not evenly enforced: All 29 Schengen area countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland must operate EES at every crossing point, and the formal congestion-pause mechanism ended on 6 September. In practice, though, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Switzerland are reported to have been informally allowed to keep pausing checks while their systems are brought up to scratch, so how thoroughly EES is applied can vary by airport. Ireland and Cyprus remain outside the Schengen Area and are not affected.

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Iceland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland

6 places to go to avoid EES

EES is live everywhere in the Schengen Area, though enforcement is currently uneven. If you'd rather sidestep the biometric checks entirely, here are 6 brilliant destinations unaffected by EES.

In Tips & Advice Updated August 2026

What do I need to do?

Build in extra time at passport control, that's still the single most important practical action for any EU trip this year. There's nothing to apply for in advance and there's no charge for EES. First-time biometric registration takes a few minutes per person, and while nine countries are reported to be quietly pausing checks in places, you can't rely on that happening at your specific airport, on your specific day, so plan as though full checks will apply.

Unless you're travelling by Eurostar from St Pancras, the Port of Dover (coaches and freight), or the Eurotunnel in Folkestone, where the checks happen at the UK end, what you experience will depend on your destination airport. All airports are legally required to be live, but enforcement is currently uneven: some are reported to be running at reduced intensity while systems catch up, and that could change without notice.

If you've already been through EES since October 2025, your biometrics are registered. Future crossings should be quicker, though some airports have been asking previously enrolled travellers to repeat the process if their systems aren't yet fully synced.

The EES data is linked to your passport, so if you get a new passport you'll need to provide your biometric data again. And every traveller, including children, now needs their own individual passport. Group or collective passports for school trips are no longer accepted under EES.

One practical heads-up specifically for departure queues: airlines including easyJet have issued formal warnings that the EES queue on the way out of Europe can also be lengthy, and the gate will not wait. Head to passport control well before your gate is announced, not after.

Is it going to disrupt travel to the EU this autumn?

Short answer: it's uneven, and the picture is still moving. Industry bodies ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe had jointly warned the European Commission that passengers could face significant waits once the flexibility mechanism lapsed, and on 7 July nine countries, including Italy, Portugal and Greece, formally asked Brussels to extend the congestion-pause window beyond its 6 September expiry. The Commission held firm, and that formal mechanism expired on schedule.

What happened next is less clear-cut than expected. A Sunday Times report published 13 September says at least nine Schengen countries, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Switzerland, have told the Commission they won't enforce EES checks in full until the technology and systems are working correctly, and have informally been allowed to keep pausing checks with no time limit apparently in place. That's separate from, and goes beyond, the formal mechanism that expired, so the picture on the ground right now is patchy rather than uniformly strict.

Ryanair has been among the loudest critics: chief operating officer Neal McMahon has called the rollout "a shambles from start to finish" and the airline is pushing the Commission to extend formal derogations until at least April 2027. Reports through the summer described waits of up to four hours at some airports when checks were being applied in full, alongside widespread complaints about inconsistent kiosk technology, so there's no guarantee that informal pausing in nine countries means a smooth fortnight ahead elsewhere.

One small piece of good news: technical problems with the fingerprinting kiosks at Eurotunnel, the Port of Dover and Eurostar's London St Pancras terminal mean those routes aren't yet enforcing the tightened rules in practice, though that's unlikely to last and shouldn't be relied on.

The safest assumption from here is to plan for delays and be pleasantly surprised if they don't materialise; treat any specific queue-time figure you read, including our own, as a snapshot rather than a forecast.

Can I complete the biometric checks before I travel?

There's no formal pre-registration in most countries, but the official "Travel to Europe" mobile app (iOS/Android) lets you pre-enter passport details and, at some locations, upload a facial image ahead of arrival, worth downloading before you go. Some departure airports also have pre-enrolment kiosks; check with your specific airport before travelling.

What if I don't want my biometric data stored by the EU?

Then you won't be admitted. Many countries (like the USA) already require biometrics for visitors, EES brings a similar approach to Schengen borders. Data is stored for up to three years (longer for overstays or security issues) and then automatically deleted. The system complies with EU GDPR standards.

What's it actually for?

People who don't live in the EU, which includes UK nationals, can visit for 90 days in any 180-day period. EES creates an electronic record of entries and exits so authorities can enforce that rule and reduce fraud. Once fully bedded in, it should speed up repeat trips, the first registration is the slow part.

This also paves the way for ETIAS, which was originally due later in 2026 but now looks set to slip.

What's ETIAS?

It's a visa-waiver-style travel authorisation that non-EU, visa-exempt visitors (including UK travellers) will need before they go. It was targeted for the last quarter of 2026, but Financial Times reporting in July 2026 says the EU agency building it, eu-LISA, has concluded a 2026 launch isn't feasible and a slip into 2027 now looks likely, with the chaotic EES rollout cited as a factor. The Commission has yet to update the official timeline and says it will confirm the specific launch date several months in advance. The fee is confirmed at €20 (roughly £17); under-18s and over-70s are exempt from paying, though they'll still need to apply. Authorisation lasts for up to three years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Unlike EES, you apply for ETIAS in advance online. EES enrolment happens at the border the first time you encounter it. ETIAS has now been delayed from its original 2021 target six times, most recently pushed back because its prerequisite, EES, has had such a difficult rollout of its own.

Fraud warning: unofficial websites are already charging for "ETIAS registration" that doesn't exist yet. Only ever use the official EU portal at travel-europe.europa.eu/etias when applications open.

How do I avoid the whole thing?

There's no nationality-based shortcut for anyone, UK travellers included: Greece tried exempting Brits from biometric checks in April 2026 and was made to reverse it within weeks. If you want to sidestep EES altogether, the reliable option is to pick a destination outside the Schengen Area entirely. Within four hours from a UK airport you can fly to Ireland, Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Albania, Morocco or Tunisia. Or go further afield, everywhere outside Europe from Canada to Bali is unaffected.

There are a few places outside the EU affected indirectly, such as the Vatican, Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, because reaching them usually means passing through an EES country.

Until 6 September, Italy and Portugal had both been pausing biometric checks at specific airports whenever queues ran too long, which occasionally meant a quicker passage than expected. That formal option has expired, but reporting since 13 September suggests Italy, Portugal and seven other countries, France, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece, Malta and Switzerland, have informally been allowed to keep doing something similar with no deadline set. That's not something to bank on or plan around, since it isn't a published policy and could stop at any airport without notice, so any trip into the Schengen zone is still best planned on the assumption that full biometric checks could apply, however long the queue gets on the day.

Tips to avoid EES delays

• Allow at least 60 to 90 minutes extra at passport control on top of your usual wait, on both arrival and departure, now that there's no local flexibility to fall back on if a crossing gets busy.
• Download the "Travel to Europe" app and pre-enter your passport details before you fly.
• Head straight to passport control as soon as you've cleared check-in and security, don't leave it until your gate is called.
• Have your accommodation address ready, EES means border officials are more likely to ask Schengen Border Code questions about where you're staying.
• Every child needs their own individual passport, collective school trip passports are no longer valid.
• Check your passport validity, a new passport means a fresh EES enrolment and longer first-time processing.
• At Dover, Eurotunnel or Eurostar, EES checks happen before you leave the UK, arrive earlier than usual, though note that kiosk technical issues mean full enforcement hasn't yet reached these routes.
• Consider travel insurance that covers missed connections caused by border delays.
• Don't count on a local pause bailing you out, or on one catching you out either: the formal EU-wide mechanism expired on 6 September, but nine countries are reported to be informally still pausing checks in places, so enforcement can vary airport to airport and even day to day.
• Treat any specific airport's current status as a snapshot, not a guarantee, given how fluid enforcement has been since the 6 September deadline. Check for the latest advice from your airline or airport shortly before you fly.