The new registration process – called the Entry/Exit System, or EES for short - is expected to be introduced in November, however the EU has yet to confirm a specific date for its introduction. It will apply to those travelling to the Schengen area which encompasses all EU countries, except from Cyprus and Ireland. Additionally, the non-EU States Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also part of the Schengen area.
This will require most citizens of countries outside the EU to create a digital record and register their biometric details, such as providing fingerprints and having their photo taken, when they enter the Schengen area. This should only take a few minutes for each person to do. British travellers will need to do this on their first visit to the EU after EES is introduced. Their record will be checked on point of entry into the Schengen area verifying either their fingerprint or photograph.
There may be increased wait times while EES registration is completed before passengers leave the UK.
If British travellers decide to visit a country in the Schengen area again within a three-year period of creating their digital record, they will only need to provide either their fingerprint or photograph at the border on entry and exit. EES will bolster border security for both the EU and their neighbouring countries.
Why is the EU introducing EES?
EES is designed to improve border security, including tackling illegal migration in the Schengen Area by keeping a new digital record of people that enter. It will also replace the current system of manually stamping passports every time someone enters a country in the EU, with more automated border control checks to help the EU ensure that people do not overstay.
EES is part of wider work the EU is doing to strengthen their border security – in 2025, the EU will introduce the new European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). ETIAS will mean that those travelling to the Schengen area need to submit information about themselves and their travel plans, and pay a fee of 7 Euros, to apply for authorisation to travel before they leave for the Schengen area. The EU has already set out more information on ETIAS, including what information will be required from each nationality. This can be found on the EU’s official Travel Europe website.
The impact on journeys to the Schengen Area
When EES is introduced, travellers will be required to register at the Schengen border. They’ll do this at the port or airport on arrival, where they can submit their fingerprints and have their photo taken at dedicated booths. While the checks will only take a few minutes for each person to do, it may lead to longer queue times for people travelling to countries in the Schengen area.
Travellers will only need to submit their biometric information at the border, and when EES is first introduced, they will not be required to provide any further information before they travel. At some ports in the South of England (Dover, Eurotunnel and St Pancras - where the French operate juxtaposed immigration checks in the UK), there may be increased wait times while EES registration is completed before passengers leave the UK.
Passengers travelling through one of these ports should check with their travel operator before they leave to travel, to understand when to arrive at the port and any potential impacts to their journey.
If travellers are flying to a country in the Schengen area, they may experience longer queue times when they arrive while EES registration is completed.
The Government is taking action to minimise the impact of EES
The EES is an EU initiative, and the UK Government has been reviewing the preparations made to date. The UK Government has been working closely with the European Commission, member states, local authorities and the travel industry, taking a multi-agency approach to ensure Ports are prepared for the introduction of EES. The Government has been supporting ports and carriers to make sure they have the right technology and processes in place so EES registration can take place as smoothly as possible.
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Morgan WilliamsWilliams, please note that I have underlined “initially” in case you missed it. 🙂 The Minister of Interior of Germany, Nancy Faeser, revealed that from September 16, the country will introduce controls at all its borders that will INITIALLY remain effective for a period of six months. Until we achieve stronger border protection with the joint European asylum system, we must further protect our national borders. At present, Germany maintains control at its borders with Austria, Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland. Under the Schengen Borders Code (SBC), the reintroduction of border controls at the internal borders is allowed. However, it must be applied as a last resort measure in exceptional situations and must respect the principle of proportionality. Last month, Germany’s Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, said that the country could prolong border controls beyond December 15, 2024. The Minister indicated that these controls could be kept in place until the new EU asylum rules become effective next year.
You are very much like one of my younger brothers. Whenever he didn’t get his own way, he started jumping up and down and having an almighty tantrum. My mother, or her au pair, would soon put an end to that with a clip around the ear, wether or not it was raining. I bet it has really, really, pissed you off to have to admit that, like I suggested not very long ago (and you rubbished) Germany has strengthened its internal border controls. And that’s with a left wing government. Wait for a right wing one, which won’t be long, to get their hands on the reins. Unlike you, I attempt not to be rude to people when I am losing an argument, but more fools you if you believe everything that politicians say or promise. Income tax and wealth taxes (plus many others) were also supposed to be temporary. Look it up. And of course I read (many) the article and details. Most probably some time before you knew it was going to happen. And if you had, you certainly kept quiet about it. Give me a break with Rwanda, won’t you ? I bet you regret even mentioning it in the first place. Europe ? Yes, it is a economic powerhouse saddled with HUGE debts, that has been declining in strength and power since around 2010. Wish it luck if Germany isn’t able to climb out of the hole it now finds itself in. My recommendation ? Stay off the booze for a few weeks, and prepare yourself for more bad news emanating from the EU as far as Austria, Italy, France and the Netherlands are concerned. Spain ? They can’t even control their borders around their islands and foreign outposts, so that should make you happy. I’m now off to buy some fresh fish (llampuga) for supper. Yum Yum !
Richard PearsonI should just let you continue to look foolish, but against my better judgement... Have you sussed out yet why the German border controls are only for 6 months? Oh, you didn't read that part? Read it again, Einstein. Regarding Rwanda - just like the UK's attempt, it was always just a political tactic to soothe the nerves of the far right in government. There's never been any evidence that it would actually have any impact on "boat people" or "illegal immigration", and frankly, "boat people" only account for a fraction of a fraction of illegal immigration anyway. But it it sounds good to voters concerned with immigration. Yet perhaps more importantly, it's a clear violation of international law, which means it also carries some potentially serious political consequences internationally. So, wish all you like. The collapse that you've been hoping for since the EU was created is no more likely now than it was decades ago. It's now the world's 2nd largest economy and carries some rather serious global political weight. That's not going to change. Oh ...and ...my mother believed the crap weather in England was because of those stupid yanks shootin' up those rockets into space. Oddly though, the crap weather in England was there long before the space programme. And it's still there.
Excuse me, as my mother would say, it was you who brought the subject of Rwanda up, not me. So, with that cleared up, I will repeat my question. What have you got to say about rubbishing the UK’s proposal in regards to Rwanda, and your beloved Germans saying that it seems like a feasible solution to their asylum problem ? By the way, soon there will be more bad news for you in regards to Germany’s Schengen border controls. I hope you like humble pie.
Richard PearsonRichard, ETIAS has NOTHING to do with boat people or Rwanda. Irrefutable fact. End of.
Williams, no comment about Rwanda ? Thought not. You don’t like being proven wrong, do you ?
Which, according to the local press, makes a total of 3214 during the first 8 months of the year, eg 5.000 per year. Its yours and Mr Hatchford’s tax money being spent, not mine. Meanwhile rapes, thefts, pickpocketing, violent crimes, drug dealing and squatting continue unabated, things that don’t seem to concern you in the slightest. Welcome to LaLa land.
Daniel Hatchford*sigh* ETIAS has nothing to do with "boat people". Its not its intention nor can it possibly intercept migrant boats in the Mediterranean. That's a simple fact. According to the article I posted previously, there's been about 200 undocumented "boat people' arrive in Mallorca this year, up from last year. Obviously, that's not good, and particularly the horrible conditions that these people are subjected to in the process. And nobody is ignoring that. But ETIAS has nothing to do with that. You may as well ask why import duties on Mangoes don't stop pigeons from shitting on statues, and demand that they remove import duties on Mangoes. On the other hand, those "illegals" that you and others refer to here, are surely South Americans, Moroccans, others of middle eastern origin, Asians, possibly even a few Americans, and certainly a number of Brits (as in Richard's case). Virtually none of them arrive by migrant boat. They all arrived by plane (or car) perfectly legally. These number in the 1000's in Mallorca (possible 10's of 1000's), and in the millions throughout Europe (and the UK). A programme to focus on "boat people" isn't going to change the number of "illegals" living here. ETIAS will certainly have a big impact, though, and that's why Richard is so against it (though ironically, like you, wants something done about those "illegals" - which is precisely what ETIAS is for - the side effect being that it also applies to you, Richard). These may be upsettingly inconvenient facts for you and others, but the fact remains, it's actually how it is, NOT how you'd like it to be.
Morgan WilliamsI very much dislike the aggressive and know it all manner you have of addressing other respondents on this web site. For this reason I am going to refrain from continuing this conversation. All I will say is that my friend is a retired national police force officer, who I have known since arriving over forty years ago to live, on a semi permanent basis, in the Soller valley. His opinion of your conclusions is that they are erroneous, out of date and vary vastly from the reality of what is actually occurring in Spain. He has told me that he is extremely concerned, as apparently are his fellow officers, about the future situation of the islands as far as illegal immigration by people arriving by boat is concerned. It is already out of hand and will only get worse.
Morgan WilliamsJust seen this. Like to comment about it ? Germany is considering processing migrants in Rwanda, where facilities paid for by Britain are currently sitting empty. Joachim Stamp, Germany’s migration commissioner, proposed using Rwanda as pressure grows on the coalition government to deal with the influx of asylum seekers. Britain’s previous Conservative government spent £290 million on the facilities in Rwanda as part of a plan to process and deport asylum seekers to the African nation. However, the new Labour government scrapped the scheme immediately upon coming to power in July. The money spent on the facilities cannot be recouped.