What do UK travellers need to know about the EU's new entry systems?

UK travellers will face new border checks when entering the European Union from next month.

The bloc is introducing two separate but interconnected schemes that will affect non-EU citizens travelling to most EU countries, plus four other countries that form part of the Schengen area.

What are the schemes?

The European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), is a travel authorisation to enter the EU for citizens of non-EU countries that do not require a visa for the EU.

It will run alongside the Entry Exit System (EES) – an automated IT system for registering travellers from non-EU countries, including the UK, each time they cross a border into or out of the EU.

The EES scheme will be in place first.

It requires people from non-EU countries – such as the UK – to have their fingerprints registered and a photograph taken to enter the Schengen area, which will eventually replace the need to stamp their passports.

All children must register, though under-12s will be exempt from fingerprinting.

The countries in the Schengen area are: 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, and Switzerland.

The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, and therefore, EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries.

When do the schemes come into effect?

Both schemes have been delayed repeatedly, but EES will finally be launched on Sunday, October 12.

The EES system will replace current paper checks when entering an EU country. Passengers from the UK will instead need to have their fingerprints and faces scanned to cross an EU border.

The scheme will be rolled out across member nations over six months, meaning it will not be fully implemented until April 10, 2026.

There is no cost for EES registration.

For most tourists, digital records will only be held for three years and a day. But those who overstay the 90-day limit without a visa will have their data held for five years.

EES will eventually run alongside ETIAS, which will start operations in the last quarter of 2026.

ETIAS is linked to a traveller’s passport. It is valid for up to three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. If you get a new passport, you need to get a new ETIAS travel authorisation.

Applying for the ETIAS travel authorisation costs 20 euros (£17.30), though some travellers are exempt from paying this fee.

No action is required from travellers at this point regarding ETIAS, but a step-by-step guide to obtaining one is available here.

Where will the border checks take place?

For most UK travellers arriving in the Schengen area after October 12, this will be done on arrival at foreign airports.

But those boarding international services from St Pancras station, the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal will complete the checks in the UK.

Why are these new schemes needed?

The new system is designed to strengthen border security, but concerns have been raised about potential delays.

The UK government has advised travellers to expect longer wait times during busy periods, as the new checks – including fingerprinting and photo capture – may take several minutes to complete.

A UK Government spokesperson said: “While EES checks will be a significant change to the EU border, we are in constant and close dialogue with our European partners to try and minimise the impact on the British public.

“While we have done everything we can to ensure the required infrastructure is in place, anyone who is planning a trip to the European mainland once these checks are introduced will still need to allow more time for their journey as the new EU systems bed in.”

Despite the concerns raised, the EU maintains that the EES will ultimately speed up border crossings.

Since Brexit, British travellers have faced longer queues at many European airports, as manual passport checks and stamping have become mandatory. The EES aims to replace this manual process with a more efficient digital alternative.