Tips & Advice · 6 min read · Updated 12 Mar 2026

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

EES reached full implementation on 10 April 2026 — but summer 2026 could still be very disruptive for UK travellers.

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

The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) completed its phased rollout on 10 April 2026. All 29 Schengen countries must now register every non-EU traveller — including UK nationals — with biometrics at every border crossing. The transition has already caused serious disruption: Lisbon suspended EES for three months after seven-hour queues; Paris CDG's e-gates couldn't handle UK passports until late March 2026; Spanish airports saw processing times up 70% at peak periods. Industry bodies are warning of four-to-six-hour queues this summer unless suspension measures are widely used. Member states can pause EES for up to 90 days during peak travel. ETIAS — the separate advance travel authorisation UK visitors will need — is targeted for Q4 2026, but you don't need to act on that yet.

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

But "fully operational" doesn't mean friction-free. Airports and airlines are still warning of potentially severe delays this summer, and there's an ongoing debate in Brussels about how much breathing room countries will get to manage peak crowds. Here's where things stand.

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 replaces manual passport stamping now that the rollout has completed.

The EU began introducing EES on 12 Oct 2025 and completed the phased rollout on 10 April 2026. From that date all 29 Schengen countries must register every non-EU national at every border crossing.

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 before some crossings — worth downloading before you fly.

What countries are affected?

Now mandatory at all borders: All 29 Schengen area countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland must now operate EES at every crossing point. Ireland and Cyprus remain outside the Schengen Area and are not affected.

Worst disruption during rollout: Lisbon (seven-hour queues in December 2025, system suspended for three months), Paris CDG/Orly (e-gates incompatible with UK passports until late March 2026), and Spain's major airports (processing times up 70% at peak periods).

• 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 now live everywhere in the Schengen Area. Want to dodge the queues this summer? Travel to these destinations instead.

In Tips & Advice Updated March 2026

What do I need to do?

Build in extra time at passport control — that's the main practical action for any EU trip this year. There's nothing to apply for in advance and there's no charge for EES. But first-time biometric registration takes a few minutes per person, and at busy airports in summer that can mean substantial queues.

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 as the system settles in. Note that Dover's EES checks for private car passengers were paused during the early rollout; check the current status before driving to France.

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.

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

Short answer: quite possibly, yes. Industry bodies ACI Europe, Airlines for Europe and IATA have jointly written to the European Commission warning that without urgent action, passengers could face waits of four to six hours at peak summer border points. During the winter rollout phase, processing times already increased by up to 70% at some airports, with waits of up to three hours recorded at peak periods.

The most severe case was Lisbon, where waiting times reportedly hit seven hours in December 2025 — forcing a full three-month suspension of EES and the deployment of 24 extra border officers. In France, CDG and Orly's Parafe e-gates remained incompatible with UK and US passports until late March 2026.

The good news is that the Commission has confirmed member states can partially suspend EES checks for up to 90 days after April 10 (with a possible 60-day extension) to manage peak congestion. What this means in practice is a patchwork: one airport in July might be fully enforcing EES while another switches to manual stamping during a surge. We'll keep this page updated as the summer situation becomes clearer.

Can I just 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/exits so authorities can enforce that rule and reduce fraud. Once bedded in, it should speed repeat trips.

This also paves the way for ETIAS, which is due later in 2026.

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's currently targeted for Q4 2026 — most likely October, though no exact date has been confirmed. The Commission will announce 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. 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 been delayed from its original 2021 target five times — the main blocker, EES, is now in place, so there is genuine momentum behind the Q4 2026 timeline.

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?

You've still got options if you want to avoid queues or don't want to provide biometrics right now.

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.

We've also put together some tips to help you avoid as much hassle as possible.

Tips to avoid EES delays

• Allow at least 60–90 minutes extra at passport control during peak summer travel, on top of your usual wait.
• Download the "Travel to Europe" app and pre-enter your passport details before you fly.
• Have your accommodation address ready — EES means border officials are more likely to ask Schengen Border Code questions.
• 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.
• Consider travel insurance that covers missed connections caused by border delays.
• Monitor the news close to your travel date — countries can invoke summer suspension measures at short notice.
• Prague is currently running smoothly; Lisbon and Paris were the worst offenders over winter — factor that into destination choices.