The UK Government has launched an awareness campaign about the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which will come into effect next month.
It said information about the EES will be shared on its own social media channels, on travel websites and by transport operators. One of the messages it wants to get across is that people will ‘need to allow more time for their journey’ while the system is being implemented.
The campaign follows research last week by ABTA which said only 51% of the 2,000 adults surveyed were aware of the changes.
The EES, which comes into force from 12 October 2025 for UK and other non-EU nationals, 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, as well as EU countries, but it 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 three-year period or until the passport expires.
Children under 12 will not be fingerprinted but 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 six 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.
A Government spokesperson said: “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.”
ABTA is holding a conference call for members today to hear from Government officials about how EES implementation will work.
