Tenerife South, a popular holiday airport for approximately three million Brits each year, has begun implementing a new system for certain travellers.
The new European Union Entry/Exit System (EES) has been rolled out this autumn. It requires non-EU citizens to register their biometric data, including facial photographs and fingerprint scans, at the border.
This scheme is being launched across various airports in the Schengen area with the goal of reducing long queues at passport control. The Spanish Ministry of the Interior has announced that the EES system will be gradually introduced across the region, but full implementation isn’t expected until 10 April 2026. So far, the Spanish Ministry has allocated 83 million euros to improve border checkpoints at all Spanish airports, reports the Daily Record.
In the meantime, the National Police will continue to handle many border control duties, while the Guardia Civil will oversee customs operations. The roll-out of the EES began in October across participating countries. The data collected by the system will be used to create a digital record linked to each traveller’s passport. The main aim of this new system is to streamline the border process.
Tenerife South Airport is one of Spain’s early adopters. Its website reads: “Tenerife South Airport began operating its EES terminals on the 6 of November 2025. However, depending on passenger volumes and waiting times, not all travellers passing through the airport will use the terminals initially. Some may still be processed manually for the time being, meaning that the collection and registration of biometric and related data may not take place immediately. The EES must be fully operational by the 10 of April 2026.”
British holidaymakers jetting off to Tenerife are being urged to arrive at Tenerife South Airport earlier than usual to allow for additional processing time. Despite the new system being introduced to expedite procedures, there may be a period of adjustment for both staff and passengers during the initial stages.
Spain is among the many countries that have adopted the EES. The majority of travellers are not expected to encounter the new changes immediately, with only a handful anticipated to undergo a fully digitised process while it’s still being rolled out.
It’s understood that manual passport stamping will continue alongside EES registration across the Schengen area for the first six months of the scheme’s implementation.