Brits travelling to Spain, Greece and Italy warned of major airport security decision

Millions of Brits question astir Europe each twelvemonth but what we bash erstwhile astatine airports volition alteration drastically successful the coming months arsenic large caller regularisation changes are brought in

New question rules which volition interaction Brits heading to the EU volition not beryllium coming into unit successful the coming weeks, it has been confirmed.

The caller Entry/Exit System (EES) was scheduled to motorboat connected October 6, with passengers required to person their photograph and fingerprints taken and scan their passports astatine a self-service kiosk. It volition people the extremity of manual stamping of passports erstwhile travelling to each countries successful the EU, including holiday favourites similar Spain, France, Italy and Greece.

With the archetypal motorboat day successful little than 2 weeks, concerns were raised that airports and roadworthy crossings were inactive not prepared for the borderline changes. Many airports crossed Europe person yet to instal the fingerprint technology required, Birmingham Live reports.

There are concerns that the changes could pb to immense queues astatine borders arsenic holidaymakers get utilized to the caller system. The scheduled motorboat for the EES has reportedly present been pushed backmost to November 10, having antecedently been delayed since 2022.

This means that anyone travelling to Europe successful this clip volition inactive request to get their passports stamped. The power to a computerised strategy is designed to support amended way of visitors from extracurricular of the EU and emblem anyone who overstays their 90-day visa-free limit.

The Foreign Office has indicated that portion this process aims to beryllium a swift few-minutes affair, skepticism is brewing implicit imaginable pandemonium, including tech glitches during its archetypal rollout.

Officials explained: "British travellers volition request to bash this connected their archetypal sojourn to the EU aft EES is introduced. Their grounds volition beryllium checked connected constituent of introduction into the Schengen country verifying either their fingerprint oregon photograph.

"At immoderate ports successful the South of England (Dover, Eurotunnel and St Pancras - wherever the French Border Force run migration checks successful the UK), EES volition beryllium carried retired earlier departure. There whitethorn beryllium accrued hold times portion EES registration is completed earlier passengers permission the UK."

Explaining much astir the projected changes, the Foreign Office said: "From November 2024, the caller EU Entry/Exit System (EES) volition commencement for each non-EU nationals, including British nationals, travelling successful oregon retired of the Schengen area. The Schengen country is made up of 29 European countries, 25 of which are EU Member States. The EES is simply a integer borderline strategy which registers non-EU visitors travelling into the Schengen country alternatively of stamping their passports."

The connection continued: "You volition request to person your fingerprints and your photograph taken erstwhile entering the Schengen area. If you participate the Schengen country done Dover, Eurotunnel astatine Folkestone oregon St Pancras International, your fingerprints and photograph volition beryllium taken earlier you permission the UK. You volition besides request to supply either your fingerprint oregon photograph connected exit. You whitethorn acquisition longer queues astatine borders erstwhile the caller strategy starts."

For much authoritative Foreign Office advice click here.