EU border checks stress UK travellers
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The gist
EU's new EES biometric border checks cause long queues and stress for UK travellers.
The checks affect nearly half of UK adults' travel plans, pushing some toward staycations.
Background
The EU introduced the Entry/Exit System (EES) in April 2026, replacing manual passport stamping for non-EU nationals. It requires biometric registration of fingerprints, passport data, and a facial image on first entry. UK passport holders are third-country nationals and cannot use automated e-gates, so every British traveller must pass through staffed lanes, leading to longer queues and frustration.
How it unfolded
- Apr 2026EES becomes fully operational, replacing manual passport stamping for non-EU nationals.
- Aug 19, 2026Polling shows nearly half of UK adults say the new system has affected their travel plans; 15% consider UK staycations, 17% may travel at quieter times.
- Aug 20, 2026Travel agents remind families that under-12s face extra checks; a family missed flights and incurred £2,000 costs due to EES queues.
- Aug 23, 2026UK travellers report 'pretty shambolic' experiences with EES, including visa mix-ups and long queues.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The UK government says the checks are the EU's responsibility but acknowledges the scale of change, committing £30.5 million for infrastructure.
- EU Commission
- The EU argues queues should ease over time as regular visitors are registered for up to three years, reducing full biometric checks.
- Public
- Travellers like Matthew Wilson describe the experience as 'very stressful' and say they will think twice before travelling in Europe again.
- Airports chief
- An airports chief says the system is 'not working' and tripling time at passport control.
Still unverified
The claim that 54 Ryanair passengers were blocked from a flight due to queue chaos is reported by Express, but the article notes the chaos had no connection to EES; the cause is unconfirmed.