The EU is launching the Entry Exit System (EES) for UK and non-EU nationals who are visiting the Schengen zone but two countries not affected by the new rules
British holidaymakers will encounter tougher entry requirements when jetting off to the EU next month as fresh regulations take effect across 29 EU nations. Yet two destinations remain exempt.
The EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) launches on October 12 for UK and non-EU citizens making short visits to the border-free EU Schengen area. Brits must now register at borders by having passports scanned alongside fingerprint and photo capture under the updated system.
A digital profile will then be established, remaining active for three years or until passport expiry. This record will subsequently be used when accessing other participating nations, reports the Manchester Evening News.
For departures and future border crossings to or from member countries, travellers need only scan passports and provide either fingerprints or photographs. The programme is being phased in gradually over six months, meaning holidaymakers may or may not encounter the fresh system depending on their chosen destination.
Passport stamping will continue throughout this transition period. The EU states the EES will become “fully operational” from April 10, 2026.
The UK Government has alerted travellers to these updated regulations, which will affect beloved holiday hotspots including France, Spain and Greece. The Schengen zone also includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
However, there’s two EU countries where the EES will not be required: Ireland and Cyprus. Neither of these countries are participating in the system as they are not part of the Schengen Area.
This means that even after October 12 Brits can visit them as usual without having their fingerprints or photographs taken. Recently, travel journalist Simon Calder urged Brits who possess an Irish passport to use it when they visit the Schengen Area from next month.
Responding to a question on which passports dual British-EU citizens should use, he said: “If you have the wisdom and fortune to have an Irish passport, use that at all times. It has a superpower no other document has: unfettered access to both the UK and the European Union, with no need to get an online permit in advance.”
Meanwhile British passport holders are warned of longer queues at the Schengen border as the EES is rolled out. In ports such as Eurotunnel, Eurostar and the Port of Dover the EES checks will be completed in 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.”
Here’s the full list of countries implementing the EES scheme:
- 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
- Switzerland