British holidaymakers heading to Europe face fresh travel chaos as the EU expands its new Entry/Exit System (EES). Launched last October, this tech upgrade demands fingerprints and facial scans at the border — and now it’s extending to half the EU checkpoints by January 10.
[block_2]
Travel experts at ABTA warn this will mean longer delays at passport control. “As more places introduce the system, queues are inevitable,” they say. UK travellers must scan four fingerprints and a facial image on first arrival, then scan for each entry and exit afterward.
Dual Border Controls Until April 2026
Until April 9, traditional passport stamping runs alongside the EES, creating a double delay risk. EU states have been ordered to implement the new system at half their border crossings by the January 10 deadline.
