UK PREPARES FOR EU DIGITAL BORDER SYSTEM- Different check points may have varying requirements till April 2026
The EU On October 12 is set to launch its new Entry/Exit System for UK and non-EU nationals – an automated system that requires travellers to register at the EU border by scanning their passport and having their fingerprints and photograph taken
EES is predicted to eventually replace passport stamping for all non-EU citizens, in a bid to help the bloc track compliance with its visa-free travel rule and strengthen border controls.
The EU will phase in the new system over six months, meaning different ports and airports may have varying requirements until April 2026.
For British travellers using the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, the Port of Dover, or Eurostar at St Pancras International – the so-called “juxtaposed” ports – the process will take place at the border before they leave the UK.
EES is also a precursor to an enhanced system, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, which would require non-Schengen area citizens to pay a fee before they travel.
