The Home Office has issued a fresh travel update concerning a significant change passengers will face from October.
In a post on X, the government department announced: “New travel update. From October, you may need to register your fingerprints and have your photo taken when entering or leaving Europe as a British traveller.”
This development follows the European Union’s introduction of enhanced border checks through its new Entry/Exit System (EES). The system will be implemented over the coming six months and will impact non-EU citizens entering the Schengen area for brief visits, which covers most UK nationals.
British holidaymakers are urged to brace themselves for the upcoming EU border controls, which will bring fresh entry requirements and potential queuing delays as travellers complete registration, reports Liverpool Echo.
Current information can also be accessed via GOV.UK and FCDO’s Travel Aware pages. From October 12, the EU will launch EES for UK and non-EU nationals.
EES represents an automated system that will mandate travellers to register at border points by scanning their passports and providing fingerprints and photographs.
EES will be mandatory when entering Schengen area nations, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. It will not be necessary when travelling to Ireland and Cyprus.
British holidaymakers are required to register on their first visit to a participating country, with this registration remaining valid for a rolling three-year period or until the passport expires.
Under the new EU rules, children under 12 will not be subjected to fingerprinting. All travellers, including infants, will have their photos taken and digital records created. Upon leaving, and for future entries and exits to or from a participating country, travellers will only need to scan their passport and provide either fingerprints or a photo at the border.
European countries implementing the EES will gradually introduce this new system by April 2026, meaning different ports may have varying requirements. This strategy is designed to facilitate a gradual rollout that minimises disruption, particularly during peak periods.
For those travelling via the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone, or Eurostar at St Pancras International, the process will take place at the border before departing the UK.
A 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.”
The EU has introduced the EES system to replace passport stamping for all non-EU nationals, which helps track compliance with the 90-day visa-free travel limit and strengthens border security.
British nationals holding Withdrawal Agreement residence permits and UK-EU dual nationals using their EU passports will be exempt from these new requirements.
Holidaymakers don’t need to prepare anything ahead of their trip, and EES registration comes at no cost. EES processing will take place when reaching the EU border and might require slightly more time than the current border procedures.
Whilst checks are anticipated to take just one to two minutes per person, they may lead to longer queues at border control when accessing the Schengen zone. At juxtaposed ports, where inspections happen in the UK prior to departure, extended delays might occur during busy periods.
Eurotunnel, Eurostar, and the Port of Dover have put measures in place to minimise disruption wherever possible. The UK government has launched its Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme, a digital travel permit for visitors who don’t require a visa for brief visits or lack any other valid UK immigration status before their journey to the UK.