Every country you will be fingerprinted before entering from November

Travellers intending to visit any EU country from November 1 may face delays due to the introduction of new biometric scanning measures.

The UK Foreign Office issued a cautionary statement on Thursday in anticipation of the new Entry Exit System (EES) expected to be implemented within November across the EU, although an exact date has yet to be confirmed by the European Union.

As soon as the system is activated, individuals will be required to have their faces and fingerprints scanned at the border. This new security measure could lead to significant waiting times as all international entry points including airports, ports, and rail stations incorporate the technology.

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The UK authorities are striving to minimise disruptions and queues that may result. A recent declaration highlighted that the Port of Dover, Folkestone's Eurotunnel, and Eurostar at St Pancras station in London will receive £10.5 million to prepare for the forthcoming changes.

"Nobody wants to see excessive queues at our ports, which is why we're providing this funding to ensure our borders are as prepared as possible for the upcoming change - despite EES being an EU initiative," stated UK Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood last week.

The Foreign Office updated earlier today that under the new regulations, non-EU citizens will have to establish a digital record and undergo biometric registration upon entering the Schengen area.

The update states: "From November 2024, the new EU Entry/Exit System will start for all non-EU nationals, including British nationals, travelling in or out of the Schengen area. The Schengen area is made up of 29 European countries, 25 of which are EU Member States. The EES is a digital border system which registers non-EU visitors travelling into the Schengen area instead of stamping their passports.

"You will need to have your fingerprints and your photo taken when entering the Schengen area. If you enter the Schengen area through Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras International, your fingerprints and photo will be taken before you leave the UK. You will also need to provide either your fingerprint or photo on exit. You may experience longer queues at borders when the new system starts."

European countries using the EES

In Cyprus and Ireland, passports will continue to be stamped manually.

Austria

Belgium

Bulgaria

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

Estonia

Finland

France

Germany

Greece

Hungary

Iceland

Italy

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Malta

Netherlands

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Slovakia

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland