New EU entry rules are on the way that will affect Brits when they travel there or to some other parts of Europe. And people should prepare for delays when it starts.
The Entry/Exit System, or EES, was set to be implemented in European Union and Schengen Area countries in 2022 but has been beset by delays. It aims to provide the EU with new security measures that will register non-EU travellers each time they cross an EU border.
Now, the chief executive of the Port of Dover Doug Bannister has confirmed the new system will be implemented from November. However, a firm date is yet to be announced.
When it goes live, the system will replace the manual passport stamping when entering or exiting countries with a digital process. This will require non-EU travellers to provide fingerprints and facial recognition data when crossing EU or Schengen borders.
New scanners will be introduced for the changes. According to the House of Commons library: “Travellers will need to scan their passports or other travel documents at an automated self-service kiosk prior to crossing the border.
“This will replace the current manual stamping of passports for visitors to the Schengen area who are not nationals of EU or Schengen countries. The system will register the person’s name, type of the travel document, biometric data (ie fingerprints and captured facial images) and the date and place of entry and exit.”
The new process will be applicable to UK passport holders travelling to the EU regardless of transport. However, Chronicle Live reports that Ireland and Cyprus, which aren’t part of the Schengen border but are part of the EU, will not be enforcing EES.
For travellers, EES will function in a similar way to visas. Registration when the system first launches is expected to take a fair amount of time so travellers, particularly for those going through busy routes like Dover ports and the Channel Tunnel, are advised to prepare for extra congestion.
The initial process will involve non-EU citizens registering their fingerprints and facial biometrics at the border. The biometric registration will be tied to your passport for three years, meaning you won’t need to repeat the registration in that time unless you get a new passport.
For travel authorities, this process should give a more accurate summary of who is entering, leaving or overstaying their welcome in certain countries which could lead to tighter visa rules or stricter penalties for people who do stay too long. In the Schengen area, visitors who are not EU or Schengen nationals are allowed to stay up to 90 days in a 180-day period.
To stay any longer, people will need to apply for a visa. The EES implementation had previously been delayed due to technical challenges and concerns from member states about its impact upon border congestion.
To mitigate this congestion, an online pre-registration process is being worked on in the EU. Following the multiple delays in the EES implementation, the European Commission says it will now be enforced in a phased approach.