Spain, Portugal and Greece holiday warning as new rule causing delays for British tourists

European airports recently introduced the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which replaces manual passport stamping with biometric registration (facial image and fingerprint scanning) to register the entry of non-EU citizens, including British tourists. The new EES system is fully operational in all Schengen Area countries, including popular destinations such as Spain, Portugal and Greece.

While the new system aims to make travelling into and out of the Schengen Area easier and simplify the process, some travellers have reported being stranded in three-hour queues. In some countries, passengers have missed their return flights after failing to clear the digital system in time. The new border checks are expected to cause considerable disruption for British passengers travelling in and out of the EU during peak periods this summer.

While some countries like Greece attempted to temporarily pause biometric checks for UK tourists, the Greek Foreign Ministry confirmed they are fully implementing the EES system this summer.

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) shared the latest travel advice on the new border checks saying: "The European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now being implemented across the Schengen area.

"This means that when you travel into the Schengen area for short stays, you may need to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo. There is no cost for EES registration.

"On your first visit into a Schengen country, you may be asked to register your details at a special booth before proceeding to the immigration desk. Follow directions from your travel operator or the staff at your port of entry. You may also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo when you leave the Schengen area. Children aged 11 or younger will not have their fingerprints scanned but can be required to have their photo taken.

"You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border on entry to the Schengen area, but EES may take each passenger extra time to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border and to allow more time for immigration controls when you depart the Schengen area.

"EES is replacing the previous system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the Schengen area for short stays. You may be asked to input biometric details every time you enter or exit."

The EES has had criticism from the travel industry, with the British Travel Association ABTA calling on destinations and border authorities to develop more robust plans for peak travel periods.

Mark Tanzer, chief executive of ABTA, said: "The ambition of a project like EES means it was never going to go completely smoothly, and we were prepared for that. However, what is frustrating is that border authorities have it within their power to ease queues and deal with issues as they arise – but that doesn't seem to be happening across the board.

"As we head towards peak travel periods, we're urging border authorities to plan for busy periods and use the contingency measure available. It's critical the Commission keeps a close eye on this."