What non-EU travellers need to know when new EU border checks are launched in November

Brussels: The European Union is pressing ahead with plans for a new border control system to handle the hundreds of millions of people who visit the bloc every year, although there are doubts that it will be ready in time for November’s launch date.

The EU says the Entry/Exit System, or EES, will automate the registration of visitors, boosting security and leading eventually to shorter waits at passport control points.

The plan has faced repeated delays since it was first presented in 2016. Several member states and industry lobby groups are calling for the Nov 10 launch to be postponed again, fearing a hasty introduction will leave border enforcement agents unprepared.

Among those set to be most affected by the changes are UK citizens, with more than 60 million arrivals in the EU in 2023, as well as Americans.

The EES would apply to all non-EU nationals who are admitted into the border-free Schengen travel zone for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. It would cover both visa holders and travellers who do not need a visa.

The bloc would collect data including fingerprints, facial images and information from travel documents on the first entry. Subsequent journeys within a three-year period would only require a biometric verification.

Travellers entering the 29 Schengen countries (which include 25 EU nations, along with Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) would be directed to self-registration areas to supply the biometric data and answer several questions.

Anyone arriving via major airports, Eurostar trains from London or Eurotunnel services from Folkestone in south-east England would be directed to a kiosk for that step before meeting passport control officers.

Those travelling through the UK’s Port of Dover by car or bus would use either kiosks or tablets handed to them in the vehicle to complete the first step.

Travellers would eventually be encouraged to use mobile apps instead – once they are available.

It will not affect travellers arriving in Cyprus and Ireland, the only two EU countries that are outside Schengen, which would continue to stamp passports manually.

There are also exemptions for certain categories of travellers, including non-EU nationals who hold an EU residence card or permit, or those travelling for research or studies.

The European Commission said it will continue to help member states prepare for the launch date, but that delays in implementing the complex system cannot be ruled out.

Member states were required to inform the commission in early September whether they were ready.

The EU countries with the busiest airports – Germany, France and the Netherlands, which collectively represent 40 per cent of passenger traffic affected by the EES – told the EU’s executive arm that the system was not working properly, that tests were needed and that these could not be completed in time for the official launch.

The Netherlands said the EES’ central computer system was not stable enough, according to a spokesperson for the Dutch Ministry of Asylum and Migration.

A spokeswoman for the Frankfurt airport said a failure of EES could disrupt the entire European and global air traffic system.

There is also the risk of disruption to the transatlantic cruise industry, which is particularly susceptible to border delays given the thousands of tourists who disembark for short visits of coastal cities in Portugal, Italy and elsewhere.

UK immigration minister Seema Malhotra has said the public should prepare for queues during peak times when the EES is introduced.

International passenger train operator Eurostar is doubling capacity for processing travellers at its main London St Pancras terminal. Channel rail tunnel operator Eurotunnel said it has created dedicated EES zones in its terminals in Folkestone, England, and Coquelles, France. The Port of Dover says it is still waiting for approval from France to use additional docks for clearing cars under the new system, as well as software for EES screening.

Industry group the Business Travel Association said the system could lead to technological challenges and increased travel times that discourage people from making trips.

The International Air Transport Association urged more coordinated action by the EU and member states, saying readiness was uneven and contingency measures were not robust enough.

The Airports Council International Europe association called for a 12-18 month transition period to avoid “wreaking havoc” on border security and the transport sector.

Airlines for America, another trade lobby, said it had “significant concerns regarding the readiness of some EU member states to meet the Nov 10 implementation deadline”.

The European Sea Ports Organisation complained of a lack of clarity around the new arrangements and contingency plans in case of serious disruption.

Security is the main driver. While EU officials said the system should streamline the arrivals process, its main aim is to deter crime, identify people who overstay their visas, combat identity fraud and try to reduce irregular migration, which is a growing concern for the region’s governments.

The number of irregular border crossings reached about 380,000 in 2023, according to Frontex, the European border management agency. This was the highest since 2016, when Europe saw an unprecedented influx of refugees and migrants.

The EES is expected to be followed by the introduction of a European Travel Information and Authorisation System, or Etias, a programme for non-EU visa-exempt citizens entering the Schengen area that would require an online pre-authorisation.

The pass would be valid for three years and cost €7 (S$10), and would be similar to the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation, or Esta, system operated by the US. Etias would apply to more than 60 visa-exempt countries including the UK and the US and would cover short stays in 30 European countries.

Holders of an Etias authorisation would be recorded in the EES each time they cross the external border of a Schengen country. Etias is targeted for a 2025 launch, but that deadline could slip too.

Are any other countries changing their border registration systems?

The UK has been rolling out its own Electronic Travel Authorisation programme (ETA) aimed at modernising its border procedures.

Travellers have to apply online in advance for permission to travel. The pass costs £10 (S$17) and is valid for multiple stays of up to six months over the course of two years.

In 2023, the ETA was applied to travellers from several Middle Eastern countries.

The system will be open to all nationalities except those with EU passports on Nov 27 and become mandatory on Jan 8.

It will be obligatory for EU citizens (except those from Ireland) starting on April 2, with applications opening on March 5.