The UK Foreign Office is advising travelers to prepare for a new border control system starting at airports across Europe from April 10, according to the FCDO. The Entry/Exit System (EES) will require British travelers entering Europe's Schengen Area to provide fingerprints and have their photograph taken, multiple reports indicate. This system will replace manual passport stamping for non-EU travelers, including Brits, when entering and leaving the Schengen Area, according to major media sources. The EES was initially introduced at some European Union airports in October 2025 and is expected to be fully implemented across all 29 Schengen countries by April 2026, major media reports confirm. The European Union stated that the new Entry/Exit System (EES) started to be operational on 12 October 2025, with European countries using the EES introducing the system gradually at their external borders, meaning data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossing points with full implementation by 10 April 2026.
The new biometric checks may lead to longer queues at border control, with warnings that queues for non-EU passengers could stretch to as long as four hours during busy periods, according to multiple reports. Travelers heading home from Spain have reported huge queues at passport control, with some unable to reach departure gates in time, according to major media. Several airport organizations have called for the rollout to be reviewed urgently, saying the system is already leading to significant delays, multiple reports indicate. An anonymous social media user advised arriving three hours early to be at the front of the queue when problems start. Another traveler expressed frustration on social media about airport experiences.
British travelers are restricted to visiting the Schengen Area for 90 days within any 180-day period since Brexit, according to major media. The disruption is being driven by stricter post-Brexit checks, including mandatory passport stamping for UK travelers entering and leaving the EU, major media reports. Under the EES, unintentional overstays now trigger instant alerts and could lead to a ban from the region, multiple sources say. Around 4,000 third-country nationals have already been caught overstaying since EES launched, according to Biometric Update. This stricter enforcement marks a significant shift from previous manual systems, where overstays might go unnoticed or be handled with warnings rather than immediate penalties.
Contradictory impacts of the EES on border processing times have emerged, creating confusion for travelers about whether the new system will speed up or slow down border crossings. On one hand, the EES allows Brits to use e-gates at EU airports, making it quicker and easier to get through airport security, according to major media. On the other hand, the new biometric checks may lead to longer queues at border control, with warnings of delays up to four hours, multiple reports indicate. This disagreement affects trip planning and expectations, as travelers must balance potential efficiency gains with the risk of extended wait times, especially during peak travel seasons. The rollout's phased nature means experiences may vary widely across different airports and border points, adding to the uncertainty.
Unknowns persist regarding which specific airports or border points are currently experiencing the most severe delays due to the EES implementation. It is unclear what specific measures, if any, are being taken by the EU or airport authorities to mitigate the delays and long queues reported. The extent of impact on British travelers, including how many have been affected by missed flights or significant delays directly attributable to the new EES system, has not been confirmed. Additionally, the exact process and criteria for issuing bans to travelers who overstay under the EES, and whether there are any appeals or exceptions, remain unspecified. To what extent the reported delays and overstay alerts have impacted travel demand or booking patterns for British holidaymakers is also unknown, potentially influencing future tourism trends in the Schengen Area.