Travelling to Europe and the Mediterranean in autumn comes with a huge number of benefits, from warm but not quite so scorching summer temperatures to a million good deals now that the kids are back at school and prices have dropped. Spain continues to be the most popular tourist destination among Brits, and with good reason. Whatever you are looking for – from a beach holiday to exploring incredible historical sites and beautiful buildings – this country has it all.
However, this autumn will bring a major new change to how Brits visit Spain. From October 12, people travelling to areas in Europe will face the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES). The system will be introduced gradually from this date and will be fully operational after six months. When travelling into and out of the Schengen Area, including Spain, even for the shortest of stays, you may need to have your fingerprints and photo taken by Border Force and answer the Schengen Border Code questions. It is expected that the new system will result in longer queues, so be sure to build in plenty of extra time through the airport.
You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration. However, according to a Government survey, more than two-thirds of UK travellers are unaware of the changes.
Advice on the Gov.uk website reads: “After it is fully implemented, EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU. “
Yasmin Pekel, a travel expert at motor yacht company Blue Cruise, said the October half-term rush is a “ticking clock”.
She said: “If airports and ports aren’t fully prepared, and people don’t know what’s expected of them, you’ve got a perfect storm of long queues, confusion, and families missing departures. Awareness is everything right now.”
When you reach the border, make sure you have all the details about your trip on hand, as officers may ask about your trip, accommodation, or how long you plan to stay.
The implementation of this system has been a long time coming as it ended up being far more complicated than expected. It was due to be introduced on November 10 last year, however, EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said a year ago that this was “no longer on the table” following a meeting of European ministers.
It is understood that it was delayed again because France, Germany, and the Netherlands did not believe the EU border computer system was ready for the November deadline. France was particularly concerned about the threat of long delays at Dover, where French border checks are carried out, because passengers would have to get out of their cars and even be coached over to have their fingerprints and facial scans taken.
