From October 2025, the European Union will introduce new border checks, with travellers warned of delays
The new Entry/Exit System (EES) will start operations on 12 October 2025(Image: Getty)
The Home Office has issued a fresh alert about the upcoming changes to the border checks for travellers going in and out of Europe next month. In a new post on X, the Home Office said: “Heading to Europe? From October, British travellers may need to scan their passports, provide fingerprints and have their photo taken when entering or leaving Schengen countries.”
The European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) will start on October 12, 2025. The new digital border system will change the requirements for British citizens travelling to the Schengen area.
European countries using the EES will gradually introduce the system at their external borders. This means that data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossing points. The new system is set to be full implemented by April 10, 2026.
Schengen countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, and Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not in the Schengen area, so the new system won’t be applied when travelling to these countries.
UK passport holders heading to a Schengen country for a short trip will need to register their biometric information, such as fingerprints and a photo, when arriving. There is no need to do anything before getting to the border, and registering for EES is free.
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Once the new system is fully up and running, which will take around six months, EES registration will replace the old method of stamping passports when visitors come into the EU. Between October and April, travellers are being warned of delays as the new system might cause long queues when passengers register for the first time.
What will happen at EU borders when the new system starts?
When the new EES is rolled out, you might have to set up a digital record upon arrival at the port or airport during your first visit to the Schengen area. You’ll also need to give your fingerprints and get your photo taken at special booths.
You won’t have to provide any info before heading to a Schengen area country. If you’re flying to a Schengen country, you’ll go through EES checks once you land. These checks could take a few minutes, so be ready to hang tight during peak times.
When you enter the Schengen area via the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone, or St Pancras International, the EES checks will happen at the border before you exit the UK. You might also need to show either your fingerprint or a photo when leaving the Schengen area.
Between October and April, travellers are being warned of delays as the new system is gradually introduced
If you often travel to the Schengen area for work or leisure, make sure your total stay doesn’t exceed 90 days within any 180-day period. It’s important to know the penalties and enforcement measures for going over the immigration limit in any Member State you intend to visit or pass through.
Your digital EES record is good for three years. If you return to the Schengen area during that time, you only have to show a fingerprint or photo at the border when you come in and out.
What kind of data will be collected?
You need to provide your personal data each time you reach the external borders of the European countries using the EES. The EES collects, records and stores:
- data listed in your travel document(s) (full name, date of birth…)
- date and place of each entry and exit
- facial image and fingerprints
- whether you were refused entry
On the basis of the collected biometric data, biometric templates will be created and stored in the shared Biometric Matching Service. If you hold a short-stay visa to enter the Schengen area, your fingerprints will already be stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) and will not be stored again in the EES.
Depending on your particular situation, the system also collects your personal information from the VIS (which contains additional personal information), and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), in particular, the status of your ETIAS travel authorisation and, if applicable, whether you are a family member of an EU national.
The new entry/exit system aims to boost border security in the EUWhy is the new system being introduced?
The new entry/exit system aims to boost border security in the EU and its neighbouring countries and tackle illegal migration in the Schengen zone. It will automate border checks to help the EU manage visitor overstays. According to Gov.uk, EES is part of the EU’s broader efforts to enhance border security. By 2026, the EU plans to roll out the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). For now, travellers don’t need to do anything.
The EU will reveal the exact launch date for ETIAS ahead of its introduction. Once ETIAS is in place, if you’re travelling with a UK passport, you’ll need to apply for authorisation to enter Schengen area countries. This will involve providing personal details and trip information, along with a fee of 20 Euros as part of the application process. For more information on ETIAS, including what information will be required from each nationality, head to the EU’s official Travel Europe website.
What borders will be affected?
UK and non-EU travellers using Eurostar from London St Pancras International will need to use self-service pre-registration kiosks, which will be located in three areas of the station, before going through the ticket gates. UK and non-EU travellers using Eurotunnel at Folkestone will be directed to a purpose-built pre-registration area to use self-service pre-registration kiosks before continuing on their journey.
UK and non-EU travellers using ferry services from the Port of Dover will be registered with either kiosks at the purpose-built Western Docks processing area or a combination of agents and tablets, depending on their vehicle, before being directed to the ferry terminal. UK and non-EU travellers entering the Schengen area by air or by ferry services departing from ports other than Port of Dover will be registered at the border on arrival in their destination country.
Sailings that start and finish their journey outside of the Schengen area (for example, at a UK port) will generally be exempt from EES checks, including for any day trips into the Schengen area that are part of their itinerary. Some UK nationals are exempt from EES. The full list of exemptions is available on the EU’s official Travel Europe website.