British travellers heading to Europe this spring are bracing for a new era of border checks, as the European Union’s long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) officially launches on 10 April 2026. Billed as the world’s most advanced digital border scheme, EES is designed to overhaul how non-EU citizens—including millions of UK passport holders—enter and exit the Schengen area. But as the deadline hits, the rollout is marked by confusion, technical hitches, and warnings of severe delays at key travel points, especially between the UK and France.
The EES, first rolled out in October 2025, is meant to replace the familiar ritual of passport stamping with a high-tech system that collects biometric data—facial photographs and fingerprints—from travellers. According to The Guardian, the system applies to adults and children aged 12 and over, with under-12s exempt from fingerprinting. Once registered, a traveller’s biometric record is valid for three years, and subsequent crossings should require only a facial scan. The scheme, covering 25 of the 27 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, aims to boost border security, combat identity fraud, and enforce the 90-days-in-180 rule for short stays.
But the promise of seamless digital borders is running up against the realities of uneven implementation. As The Independent reports, while some Schengen countries are processing “third-country nationals” like the British in line with Brussels’ rules, others—most notably France—are nowhere near ready. Less than three days before the system’s full launch, French authorities confirmed that the hardware needed to capture fingerprints and facial images is still missing at critical “juxtaposed” controls on UK soil. This affects Eurostar terminals at London St Pancras, Ebbsfleet, and Ashford, the Eurotunnel’s Folkestone terminal, and major cross-Channel ferry ports like Dover, Portsmouth, and Newhaven. Instead of full biometric checks, these locations will revert to a “light” phase: passports are scanned and an EES record created, but fingerprints and photos are not yet taken.
According to The Connexion, freight drivers, coach groups, and a handful of foot passengers have been providing biometrics since the phased roll-out began last October. However, pilot tests revealed long queues and repeated software crashes, with port associations and Eurotunnel officials voicing concerns about the system’s reliability. France’s Interior Ministry blames supply-chain lags for the missing kiosks and tablets, but industry groups argue that specifications were finalized months ago and accuse the government of under-budgeting. The Union des Ports de France warns that without a fix before the summer travel surge, ferry terminals could see “five-to-six-hour bottlenecks,” putting both tourism and freight deliveries at risk.
The UK government has invested £10 million in infrastructure for biometric registration at these border points, with tens of millions more spent locally. Yet, as The Independent highlights, these registration areas remain largely idle due to connectivity problems on the French side. The practical upshot for travellers? For now, those entering France from the UK will face existing procedures, but should allow extra time in case a last-minute test of the biometric modules is launched.
Beyond the UK-France border, the EES is causing headaches across the continent. Airports Council International (ACI) has reported queues of up to two hours at EU airports’ passport control since the system’s initial rollout. Some passengers have even missed flights due to the delays. Two key aviation leaders—Olivier Jankovec, representing airports, and Ourania Georgoutsakou, representing airlines—issued a joint statement warning that “the combination of full registration requirements and reduced operational flexibility is expected to place unprecedented strain on border control operations.” They’ve called on the European Commission and member states to fully or partially suspend EES where operationally necessary during the busy summer of 2026, citing persistent staff shortages, technical issues with self-service kiosks, and concerns over the reliability of the central EES IT system.
EU rules allow member states to partially suspend EES operations for up to 90 days after 10 April, with a possible 60-day extension, but a full suspension is off the table. Partial suspension means the system runs, but biometric data collection can be paused—an option many countries are likely to use to prevent chaos at peak travel times. Still, this patchwork approach could lead to anomalies, such as a traveller entering one country with only a passport stamp and leaving another through EES, with no biometric record of arrival. Authorities are expected to overlook such inconsistencies until the system is fully functional.
For those hoping to register in advance, a “travel to Europe” mobile app allows non-EU travellers to pre-register passport data and photos within 72 hours before entry or exit. However, only Sweden is using the app fully, with Portugal using it for entry questionnaires. Frontex, the EU border agency, says pilots are “on the horizon” for other countries.
The European Commission remains upbeat about the system’s effectiveness. A spokesperson told The Independent: “This is about the security of Europeans. With the EES, we are building the most modern IT border system in the world. In the past five months, we had more than 44.5 million entries and exits registered. There have been over 24,000 refusals of entry, of which over 600 persons were assessed to be security threats to the Union.” The Commission also claims that, when working well, it takes only 70 seconds to register an entry or exit. Still, the spokesperson admitted that “a few member states are encountering technical difficulties” and that Brussels is “in close contact with these member states and also sharing best practices from member states where the system is working well.”
Meanwhile, the much-anticipated European Travel Information and Authorisation System (Etias)—a visa waiver costing €20 (£17.40) for most travellers—is set to launch in the last quarter of 2026. Yet, as The Independent notes, Etias seems unlikely to be implemented on schedule, since it requires the EES to be running smoothly for at least six months beforehand. The Commission promises to inform travellers of the specific start date several months in advance.
For British holidaymakers and business travellers, the immediate advice is to stay flexible and informed. Travel experts recommend monitoring operator alerts daily, keeping records of all crossings, and allowing extra time for border checks—especially at UK-France entry points. Companies with frequent cross-Channel travel are urged to keep a close eye on developments, as partial EES files will be retro-completed once biometrics finally go live.
As the summer travel season approaches, the fate of the “most modern IT border system in the world” hangs in the balance. For now, travellers must navigate a patchwork of old and new procedures, with patience and preparation their best allies as Europe’s digital border revolution slowly gets up to speed.