British nationals might face longer waits at border management when visiting various EU international locations due to a brand new digital system that’s being launched this weekend.
The Entry/Exit System (EES) will probably be steadily rolled out throughout Europe over six months from Sunday 12 October.
It’s going to see the handbook stamping of passports scrapped in favour of non-EU residents registering their biometric particulars, corresponding to fingerprints and a photograph, automating the method of registering travellers’ entries and exits.
However which international locations will it apply to, how will it work and why is it being launched?
Which international locations can have the Entry/Exit System?
It’s going to apply to 25 EU international locations within the Schengen space and 4 different international locations in the identical area, however which aren’t a part of the EU.
Here is the complete record:
• 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
Guide passport stamping will proceed for use in Eire and Cyprus.
Who does it apply to?
The system applies if you’re a non-EU nationwide, together with from the UK, who’s travelling to an EU nation for a brief keep, which implies as much as 90 days inside a 180-day interval.
Youngsters underneath the age of 12 will probably be exempt from giving fingerprints, however they may nonetheless have to have their faces scanned for the system.
There are exemptions that are listed here.
How will it work?
Pic: iStock
The EES will register the particular person’s title, sort of journey doc, biometric information – fingerprints and captured facial photographs – and the date and place of entry and exit.
Whenever you first go to one of many listed international locations after the EES is adopted, you have to to register your particulars at an automatic kiosk.
In regular circumstances, you’ll full the EES checks whenever you arrive at your vacation spot airport or port in a purpose-built sales space.
Nonetheless, in case you enter one of many international locations by means of the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras Worldwide, EES checks will probably be accomplished on the border earlier than you permit the UK. EES kiosks have been put in particularly for this goal.
It will imply passengers must get out of their vehicles to register on the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover. The latter can have an EES processing web site on the Western docks.
You do not want to take any motion earlier than arriving on the border, and there’s no value for EES registration.
Your digital EES report will probably be legitimate for 3 years earlier than it needs to be renewed.
Should you enter the Schengen space once more throughout this time, you’ll solely want to offer a fingerprint or photograph on the border, whenever you enter and exit.
In the course of the preliminary rollout, handbook stamping of passports is ready to proceed, however the system is anticipated to utterly exchange it from 10 April 2026.
Might there be longer queues?
The federal government has warned that there could also be longer ready instances than regular on the border as soon as the system begins, as it is going to take every passenger an additional minute or two to hitch the EES.
Naomi Leach, deputy editor of Which? Journey, informed Sky Information that travellers ought to permit extra time for his or her journeys on the opposite aspect if they’re flying.
“It’s price reserving later transfers, automobile rent or different onward journey,” she prompt.
Although international locations are obliged to get going with the brand new system from Sunday, they’ve six months to finish the rollout.
It’s hoped that this, combined with the actual fact the rollout isn’t beginning throughout peak travelling seasons, will assist restrict the influence on passengers.
The Unbiased’s journey editor Simon Calder informed Sky Information that passengers ought to nonetheless anticipate longer queues once they attain their locations, however that it’ll possible range relying on the place they’re going.
‘New EU journey guidelines will differ by nation’
He stated: “I’ve contacted all 29 of the nations concerned and a few of them, particularly the Czech Republic, Estonia, Luxembourg, say they will be prepared from day one, all people travelling out and in goes to be checked.
“However in Spain, as an example, they are saying they will verify precisely one flight coming into Madrid airport and after that they will roll issues out steadily on the worldwide airports, then the roads crossings, then the seaports.”
Mr Calder has been informed that Dusseldorf would be the place to begin in Germany.
He additionally stated international locations can largely pause the implementation at numerous factors if ready instances develop too lengthy.
Issues over delays at ports
A view of visitors queueing to make use of the Port of Dover in July. Pic: PA
The Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras Worldwide will probably be steadily rolling out the EES.
Solely drivers and passengers on coaches and freight are anticipated to hitch the EES initially at Dover and Folkestone, whereas the Eurostar says there will probably be “minimal modifications” at St Pancras to begin with.
However some considerations had been raised when the Port of Dover stated it might take as much as six minutes per car for EES registration – up from the 30 to 60 seconds it takes for a automobile to get by means of the border with out the EES.
However Port of Dover CEO Doug Bannister stated he was assured a £40m funding in new infrastructure would repay.
“We’ve got purposely designed these amenities to deal with our peak quantity days [in the summer]… while making certain that there isn’t any queuing or congestion on the exterior highway community,” he stated.
He stated the EU has additionally allowed for so-called “precautionary measures” in the course of the first six months submit full operation of EES, including: “What that may permit us to do is dial again on the method if we’ve got to, if the visitors volumes are going to be bigger than we anticipated.”
A spokesperson for the federal government stated: “Whereas we’ve got performed the whole lot we will to make sure the required infrastructure is in place, anybody who’s planning a visit to the European mainland as soon as these checks are launched will nonetheless want to permit extra time for his or her journey as the brand new EU techniques mattress in.”
What occurs to your information?
The European Fee says the info being collected whenever you use the EES is:
• The knowledge listed in your journey doc(s) (e.g. full title, date of delivery, and so on.)
• Date and place of every entry and exit
• Facial picture and fingerprints
• Whether or not you had been refused entry
This information will probably be saved within the system and can’t be transferred to 3rd events – besides in particular circumstances, which you’ll examine here.
Your information will probably be utilized by international locations for a number of causes, together with figuring out travellers who aren’t allowed to enter, discovering these utilizing faux identities, and serving to to forestall and examine severe crimes.
Should you refuse to offer your biometric information, you may be denied entry.
Why is it being carried out?
The EU says the brand new system is geared toward making a number of enhancements to the handbook stamping system, which the European Fee views as time-consuming and unreliable in offering information on border crossings.
It says the EES will make border checks extra fashionable, environment friendly, simpler and quicker. It says that when they’re registered, travellers will spend much less time on the border due to quicker checks.
It’s also geared toward stopping unlawful migration. It says the EES will assist observe who comes out and in of the Schengen international locations higher than the previous system, utilizing fingerprint and face information to cease individuals from overstaying, utilizing faux identities or misusing visa-free journey.
It additionally says the EES will enhance safety within the international locations, giving the authorities entry to essential traveller info and serving to them to identify safety dangers and assist the battle in opposition to severe crimes and terrorism.
