British travellers are being advised to prepare for incoming EU
border checks as the government today launches a new awareness
campaign around the changes.
Messages advising the British public about the introduction of
new Entry/Exit System (EES) checks at the EU border will
be shared across government social media channels, by transport
operators and on travel websites. Up to date information can also be found on
GOV.UK and FCDO's
Travel Aware pages.
From 12 October 2025, the EU will introduce EES for UK and non-EU nationals,
travelling for a short stay. EES is an automated system that
will require travellers to register at the border by scanning
their passport and having their fingerprints and photograph
taken.
EES will be a
requirement when entering Schengen area countries including
Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. EES will not be required when
travelling to Ireland and Cyprus.
British travellers will need to register on their first visit to
a participating country after EES is introduced. This
registration is valid for a rolling 3-year period or until the
passport expires. Children under 12 will not be fingerprinted but
under the new EU rules. All travellers, including babies, will be
photographed and have digital records created.
On exit, and for subsequent entries and exits to or from a
participating country, travellers will only need to scan their
passport and provide either their fingerprints or a photograph at
the border.
European countries using EES will phase this new system in
over 6 months, meaning different ports may have varying
requirements until April 2026. This should allow for a gradual
implementation that minimises disruption, particularly at peak
periods.
For travellers using the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone
or Eurostar at St Pancras International, the process will take
place at the border before they leave the UK.
Last year, the government provided these juxtaposed ports
(Eurostar, St Pancras; Eurotunnel, Folkestone; and the Port of
Dover) with £10.5 million of funding to support the introduction
of border infrastructure. While EES is an EU system, the government
have been working closely with the travel industry, ports and
transport operators to help raise public awareness and
understanding of the border changes.
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 EES to replace passport stamping
for all non-EU citizens, helping them to track compliance with
the 90-day visa-free travel rule and strengthen their border
control.
British citizens covered by Withdrawal Agreement residence
documents and UK-EU dual citizens using their EU passports will
be exempt from the new requirements.
Travellers do not need to take any action before travelling and
EESregistration is
free. EES checks will
take place upon arrival at the EU border and may take slightly
longer than previous border checks.
Whilst checks should only take 1-2 minutes for each person, they
may lead to longer wait times at border control upon arrival in
the Schengen area. At the juxtaposed ports, where checks are
completed in the UK, prior to departure, there may be longer
waits at busy times. Eurotunnel, Eurostar and the Port of Dover
have plans in place to minimise disruption as much as possible.
The UK government has rolled out its own Electronic Travel Authorisation
(ETA) scheme, which is a digital permission to travel for
visitors who do not need a visa for short stays, or do not have
another valid UK immigration status prior to travelling to the
UK.
