25/08/2025
🛂 NEW PASSPORT EU ENTRY/EXIT 🛂
RULES FROM OCT FOR UK PASSPORT
HOLDERS TRAVELLING TO THE EU
I know you’re probably wondering what’s going to happen moving forward when you want to visit EU countries now that we’re no longer in it?
I’m here to answer that so hope the below information is helpful.
A new digital system is being introduced and rolled out across Europe from the 12th October which will take approx 6 months and unfortunately mean longer waits for us UK travellers (but hey we love a queue don’t we?! 😉🤣)
This will see the manual stamping of passports stopped in favour of visitors registering their biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, automating the process of registering travellers' entries and exits.
This Entry/Exit system will apply to 25 EU countries in the Schengen area and 4 other countries in the same region, but which are not part of the EU and these are as per the below:
• 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
Manual passport stamping will continue in Ireland and Cyprus.
This system applies if you are a non-EU national, including from the UK, who is travelling to an EU country for a short stay, which means up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Children under the age of 12 will be exempt from giving fingerprints, but they will still need to have their faces scanned for the system.
How will it work?
The EES will register the person's name, type of travel document, biometric data - fingerprints and captured facial images - and the date and place of entry and exit.
When you first visit one of the listed countries after the EES is adopted, you will need to register your details at an automated kiosk.
In normal circumstances, you will complete the EES checks when you arrive at your destination airport or port in a purpose-built booth.
However, if you enter one of the countries through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St
Pancras International, EES checks will be completed at the border before you leave the UK. EES kiosks have been installed specifically for this purpose.
This will mean passengers will have to get out of their cars to register at the Eurotunnel terminal and the Port of Dover. The latter will have an EES processing site at the Western docks.
You do not need to take any action before arriving at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration.
Your digital EES record will be valid for 3 years before it has to be renewed.
If you enter the Schengen area again during this time, you will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border, when you enter and exit.
During the initial rollout, manual stamping of passports is set to continue, but the system is expected to completely replace it from 10 April 2026.
This new system is aimed at making several improvements to the manual stamping system, which is viewed as time-consuming and unreliable in providing data on border crossings.
The EES will (hopefully) make border checks more modern, efficient, easier and faster and mean travellers will spend less time at the border.
However there may be longer waiting times than usual at the border once the
system starts, as it will take each person a few extra minutes to join the EES.
The EU Border Agency Frontex has developed a smartphone app to enable partial EES registration ahead of travel, though fingerprints would still need to be collected at the border. While Frontex has said it is ready to be used when EES is launched, this will be voluntary for participating countries. Selected entry points will be trialling its use in late 2025 and 2026, according to the government.
