Britons travelling to European Union countries this summer are facing long queues, technical problems and confusion following the full implementation of the bloc’s new Entry/Exit System (EES).
The digital system requires non-EU travellers entering or leaving the Schengen Area to register their details, have their photographs taken and provide fingerprints. It is designed to monitor travellers’ stays and identify those who exceed the permitted 90 days within a 180-day period.
However, several UK travellers have reported difficulties with the system, including lengthy delays, malfunctioning biometric machines, unclear instructions and problems with travel records.
Some passengers said they were forced to wait for hours at airports, while others reported uncertainty over which queues to join. In some cases, border officials reportedly relaxed fingerprinting or registration requirements because queues had become unmanageable.
One British traveller, Martin Farrall, said his EES record failed to register his departure from the Schengen Area after a trip to Denmark. He feared the error could eventually cause him to be treated as an overstayer.
Other travellers reported problems with fingerprints failing to register, particularly among older passengers, while some said the system appeared unable to recognise previous registrations made at other European airports.
Passengers with special circumstances have also encountered difficulties. A British student in Germany said she was repeatedly directed to EES queues despite holding a long-stay student visa, which exempted her from the system’s visitor requirements.
Travellers with visual impairments also reported difficulties using the self-service machines because of the way instructions and biometric scanners are presented.
Airports and airlines have previously called for the implementation of the system to be suspended during the busy summer travel period, citing concerns over delays. However, the EU rejected those calls.
Border authorities have been given limited flexibility to ease some requirements when queues become excessive, but the temporary measure is due to expire next month.
The experiences reported by UK travellers have raised concerns about the reliability, accessibility and coordination of the EES across different European countries, particularly as millions of British citizens continue to travel to the EU following Brexit.
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