![\"EU](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_293771295-562f.jpg\")
\n\t\tHoping to soak up the sun in Greece? You\u2019re luck this year when it comes to customs (Picture: NurPhoto)<\/p>\n
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\n\t\tHoping to soak up the sun in Greece? You\u2019re luck this year when it comes to customs (Picture: NurPhoto)<\/p>\n
British passport holders heading to Greece<\/a> this summer<\/a> are now exempt from new EU biometric requirements.<\/p>\n All travellers from the UK and other non-EU countries are required to be photographed and fingerprinted at EU airports and border points under\u00a0the\u00a0new entry and exit system\u00a0(EES)<\/a>,\u00a0which was fully operational as of April 10.<\/p>\n Holidaymakers were warned of airport delays of up to four hours<\/a> because of the\u00a0EU<\/a>\u2019s new biometric\u00a0entry and exit checks, but now, Greece is removing the requirement for UK citizens.<\/p>\n Eleni Skarveli, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, said the move would \u2018ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece\u2019 and slash waiting times.<\/p>\n Given that thousands of UK travellers arrive daily on islands such as Corfu, Crete<\/a> and Rhodes, the move has been welcomed, and some believe other Mediterranean countries could follow suit, to avoid chaos.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t\t\tBest of Metro Deals\t\t\t<\/p>\n Get exclusive\u00a0discounts\u00a0with\u00a0Metro Deals<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 save on getaways and spa days.\u00a0Powered by Wowcher<\/p>\n Bannatyne Spa: Spa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco \u2014\u00a0save up to 57%\u00a0off.<\/p>\n Get deal now<\/a><\/p>\n Mystery Escape: Hotel stay with return flights from as low as \u00a392pp \u2014\u00a0save on worldwide holiday packages.<\/p>\n Get deal now<\/a><\/p>\n Beach Retreat (Lanzarote): 4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights \u2014\u00a0save up to 58%.<\/p>\n Get deal now<\/a><\/p>\n Even as Greece drops the requirement, other countries could still see heavy delays for travellers.<\/p>\n Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at Abta, the travel agent and tour operator association, said: \u2018What we have said to customers is that, because of the checks, you might need to prepare for delays with extra water and snacks.\u2019<\/p>\n Travellers already reported queues of up to two hours at passport control since EES started rolling out in some European countries late last year.<\/p>\n But airline groups have warned that these waits could double to four hours as holiday traffic increases into the peak summer season.<\/p>\n There are also concerns over IT glitches (remember\u00a0the Crowdstrike outage<\/a>), strikes and staff shortages during holiday periods.<\/p>\n What is the entry and exit EES system?<\/p>\n The entry and exit system is a digital system that replaces physical passport stamps at border points across the European Union.<\/p>\n People with passports from non-EU countries,\u00a0including the UK<\/a>, are required to use the system once it launches.<\/p>\n Most travellers from outside the EU, known as third-country nationals, will be required to register their passport details and biometric data when crossing into an EU country for the first time.<\/p>\n Biometric data includes fingerprints and facial pictures. Borders are likely to be kitted with self-service kiosks where passengers can input this information.<\/p>\n This data, as well as the entry and exit details, will be stored for subsequent visits.<\/p>\n Future visits will only require a verification of the biometric data, which can speed up the process.<\/p>\n Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk<\/a>.<\/p>\n For more stories like this, check our news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Automatic](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_293771294-97f4.jpg\")
\n\t\tNon-EU travellers are required to give biometric data (Picture: Getty)<\/p>\n
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