Introduction of European Entry-Exit Scheme (EES)

[chrisjo]

Very informative article in the Independent today. Too many topics covered to quote here, but it does appear to answer the question of subsequent re-entry with some authority.

Simon Calder: What UK travellers need to know for 2026 holidays

Travel expert Simon Calder answers readers’ questions on what travel will look like in 2026 – from the EU’s new entry-exit system and biometric border checks to rising costs, tighter rules and what British travellers should expect at airports on both sides of the Atlantic

www.independent.co.uk

'Once you have registered, on subsequent encounters with the entry-exit system you will need only one biometric taken; this is almost certain to be the face, since it is a lot less hassle than fingerprinting'

and

Note also that you have to go to the EES kiosk (assuming there is one, otherwise to the officer) every time you visit the EU. The process will be quicker after the first visit, but they still want to check that your passport matches you, and that you have not been added to any Schengen watchlists since your last visit.

 

[Hadders]

I'm just back from a long weekend in Bordeaux.

Flew out from Gatwick on Friday. Upon arrival at BOD it was old fashioned checks at French Border control with a manual stamp in the passport.

Leaving BOD yesterday wasn't good. Huge queue of people queuing up for French Border control. Manual check and a passport stamp. There were just 2 booths open with a queue about 50 yards long. Staff were directing EU passport holders to the e-gates but wouldn't let UK passport holders use them, even though they was clear signage saying that UK passport holders could use them. All very strange.

 

[Bald Rick]

Leaving BOD yesterday wasn't good. Huge queue of people queuing up for French Border control. Manual check and a passport stamp. There were just 2 booths open with a queue about 50 yards long. Staff were directing EU passport holders to the e-gates but wouldn't let UK passport holders use them, even though they was clear signage saying that UK passport holders could use them. All very strange.

To be fair departing BOD was exactly like that last time I went in 2013, just without the egates.

 

[eoff]

I'm just back from a long weekend in Bordeaux.

Flew out from Gatwick on Friday. Upon arrival at BOD it was old fashioned checks at French Border control with a manual stamp in the passport.

Leaving BOD yesterday wasn't good. Huge queue of people queuing up for French Border control. Manual check and a passport stamp. There were just 2 booths open with a queue about 50 yards long. Staff were directing EU passport holders to the e-gates but wouldn't let UK passport holders use them, even though they was clear signage saying that UK passport holders could use them. All very strange.

Using the e-gates would just delay the visit to the booth to get the stamp. Not going to save a lot of time.

 

[ninja-lewis]

I'm just back from a long weekend in Bordeaux.

Flew out from Gatwick on Friday. Upon arrival at BOD it was old fashioned checks at French Border control with a manual stamp in the passport.

Leaving BOD yesterday wasn't good. Huge queue of people queuing up for French Border control. Manual check and a passport stamp. There were just 2 booths open with a queue about 50 yards long. Staff were directing EU passport holders to the e-gates but wouldn't let UK passport holders use them, even though they was clear signage saying that UK passport holders could use them. All very strange.

Pre-Brexit signage perhaps?

 

[signed]

Pre-Brexit signage perhaps?

French eGates are all usually available to British Citizens, like at Gare du Nord. As @eoff says, it's because it would be very inefficient when most to all of the flight is getting stamped, same reason why no eGates at Saint Pancras

 

[Hadders]

Pre-Brexit signage perhaps?

It wasn't. As well as physical signage it was on electronic screens as well.

 

[scarby]

they still want to check that your passport matches you, and that you have not been added to any Schengen watchlists since your last visit.

Yeah well let's face most travellers are likely to have be added to a list of dangerous criminals, and those who actually are would willingly go through passport control so they can be identified and handed over to the police.

 

[Broucek]

Yeah well let's face most travellers are likely to have be added to a list of dangerous criminals, and those who actually are would willingly go through passport control so they can be identified and handed over to the police.

To be fair, Schengen is a really robust way to keep criminals out of your country

 

[styles]

Trouble is USA I believe is for flights only? We have a lot of sea borders, with ports with limited space. This system works... OK in airports. Ferry terminals with maybe 6 people in car, its not going to be fun - it already took some time to get out of the smaller ports.

Maybe you're thinking of Canada, where an eTA isn't required for land or sea borders. I imagine they ask pretty much the same questions at the border mind.

 

[stadler]

Maybe you're thinking of Canada, where an eTA isn't required for land or sea borders. I imagine they ask pretty much the same questions at the border mind.

Up until three years ago the ESTA visa was only required for entry to the USA by air. It was only on the 01/10/2022 that the USA started requiring an ESTA visa for land and sea entries. Before then you could enter the USA by land and sea with nothing other than a passport. It makes me wonder if Canada will start requiring an ETA visa by land and sea at some point soon.

 

[Class73Electro]

Maybe you're thinking of Canada, where an eTA isn't required for land or sea borders. I imagine they ask pretty much the same questions at the border mind.

Might be - my mistake! Thanks

 

[peteb]

Anyone know if the EES system is up and running at Stockholm Arlanda?

 

[FinsburyPark]

To be fair, Schengen is a really robust way to keep criminals out of your country

Much like any border. If someone is a wanted criminal, I'd doubt they'd be wanting to use an official border crossing.

 

[Reliablebeam]

Anyone know if the EES system is up and running at Stockholm Arlanda?

I believe it is. I will report back later this weekend as I have to pass through here. Dreading to think how bad it will be, but I've filled out this 'Travel to Europe' app - currently Sweden is the only country using it!!

 

[Zerothebrake!]

I was out there in October and it was pictures of the eyes and the four fingers of your right hand followed by a few questions then a stamp in the passport on both the entry and departure.

 

[island]

No, ESTA is for all. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/internat...iver-program-vwp-and-electronic-system-travel

Indeed. It was only extended to land borders relatively recently. Canadian and Mexican citizens are (as I understand it) not in scope of fingerprinting and photographing, so it's relatively few people who need to go through that at US land borders and they're sent into an office to do it.

 

[Mojo]

Arrival at Nice on Friday and all machines were not in service, it was exactly the same as before with no photos / fingerprints and just the manned desks with stamp issued (and as usual, the All Passports queue moved quicker than the EU queue). On departure, manned desks again with stamps, but they used webcam to take picture, and fingerprints (only 4 fingers on right hand) were scanned.

 

[Cloud Strife]

I flew to Valencia last week, and while I was on a Schengen flight, it was clear that the EES kiosks weren't in use. I'll check again next week when I leave to see what the situation is with departures.

At this point, I have really serious doubts as to whether the EES rollout will be complete by April. Right now is the quietest time, yet it's clear that the system isn't being implemented in many locations.

 

[island]

I flew to and from Marseille earlier this month and all EES kiosks were roped off and not in use.

 

[Mag_seven]

Chaos at Verona on entering Italy the other day. Had yet again to use a registration kiosk (despite me thinking I was already registered from a previous trip?) which took a photo and fingerprints and asked several questions. Then told to go to an egate which didn't work and therefore instructed me to go to a manual gate where the whole process of fingerprinting and photo taking took place again! Passport entry stamp followed.

Much less fuss on return from Milan Linate - was directed to a egate which worked this time and instructed me to go to a manual gate and get an exit stamp.

All the registration kiosks I could see in Milan Linate were not in service.

 

[Mojo]

Berlin last week, upon entry all registration kiosks out of service, with fingerprinting (4 fingers on right hand only) and photos being taken at the manned desks. After taking fingerprints the guard said "oh, I didn't need to take yours," and then just proceeded to stamp the passport. Took an absolute age to get through despite me only being 4th in the queue. A delayed Easyjet flight from Birmingham arrived just after ours, I dread to think what time people at the back of the queue would have got out. On the return, no photos or fingerprinting being taken for anyone.

 

[Segedunum]

I flew into Sofia last weekend where I couldn't see any hint of the system being used at all - just a bored glance at me and a quick stamp.

When I left, I was asked to scan four fingers and was stamped out again without any fuss.

 

[Krokodil]

I thought that it would be in operation at St Pancras by now, but I just went through the French e-gates and a wet stamp as normal.

 

[D6130]

I travelled from St Pancras to Paris by Eurostar yesterday afternoon and - for the first time - the French border agent asked me to remove my glasses, photographed my eyes with a mini-camera and then asked me to place four fingers of my right hand on the green finger print scanner....all the while with my passport slotted into the passport scanner. He then stamped my passport and sent me on my way. The whole thing took less than a minute.

 

[zero]

I travelled from St Pancras to Paris by Eurostar yesterday afternoon and - for the first time - the French border agent asked me to remove my glasses, photographed my eyes with a mini-camera and then asked me to place four fingers of my right hand on the green finger print scanner....all the while with my passport slotted into the passport scanner. He then stamped my passport and sent me on my way. The whole thing took less than a minute.

That's how it is in most countries that take biometrics from tourists at the border.

 

[bleeder4]

With a lot of people now choosing to use biometrics to lock/unlock their smartphone, has anyone thought how officials will just be able to unlock people's phones without asking? You sometimes see news stories with a headline about someone refusing to unlock their phone when asked. But now with all this stored biometric data, officials can just use that to unlock the phone anyway. By giving their biometric data they are basically handing over the password to their phone. Think I'll stick with a passcode!

 

[Class73Electro]

Would that not require them to make a 3D print of the finger though?

 

[Segedunum]

Was surprised to be directed to the eGates leaving Budapest just now. Two of the four gates now accept British passports (though a stamp is still required after).

Flying into Debrecen yesterday had the full works of fingerprinting, photo, and five minutes spent in silence reading every individual stamp.

 

[route101]

Up and running upon arrival at Prague. Took me a minute or two to register but took about half an hour to go through passport control with a stamp. No questions asked at passport control.

I wonder if it is not all in place by April, do they they extend the transition phase by another 6 months?