The boss of the Port of Dover has warned that the EU's incoming Entry/Exit System could leave Western Europe's busiest passenger port unable to cope beyond Easter, as motorists face fingerprint and facial checks under a new canopy.
The EU's new Entry/Exit System has been pushed back again, with a fresh launch date pencilled in for November 2024. To avoid chaos at busy crossings, officials have also softened the biometric requirement with a 'relief valve' that could excuse many travellers on first entry.
The EU's Entry/Exit System has slipped from its original 2022 timeline more than once, and its exact launch date remains uncertain. Here is what the new biometric Schengen border checks involve and who will be affected.
The EU's Entry/Exit System will replace passport stamps with biometric registration for non-EU visitors. For British travellers with family or homes in France, the change adds new steps at the border — and a fresh incentive to secure an EU passport.
The EU plans to digitise its external border with biometric checks and a pre-travel fee for visa-free visitors. Here is how the EES and ETIAS work, what they cost and why they have drawn both support and criticism.