Foreign Office warning over travelling to 29 European countries
The Foreign Office has issued an urgent warning over border queue chaos which is expected at 29 European Union countries in November. The Foreign Office has warned UK holidaymakers face longer queues and delays while flying to the continent.
New checks under the Exit and Entry System are due to begin. The change applies to countries within what is known as the Schengen area - an area encompassing 29 European countries that have officially abolished border controls at their mutual borders.
The Government website explained: “From November 2024, you’ll get your fingerprints and photo taken when entering the Schengen area. You’ll get either your fingerprints or photo taken when you leave. You will not get a stamp in your passport.
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“Queues at borders may be longer when these changes begin. 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.”
The 29 countries affected are: 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, and Switzerland.
The EES will provide precise information in a rapid and automated way to border guards during border checks, the European Union has said, as well as information to border guards on refusals of entry of non-EU nationals and enable refusals of entry to be checked electronically in the EES.
It will give precise information to travellers on the maximum length of their authorised stay and precise information on who is overstaying their authorised stay, as well as providing an evidence-based support to visa policy.
It will support the identification of terrorists, criminals as well as of suspects and victims of crime and provide a record of travel histories of non-EU nationals including crime suspects, perpetrators or victims of crime.