Europe Summer Travel Faces 4-Hour Delays

- The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated IT system that replaces manual passport stamping for non-EU nationals visiting the Schengen Area for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180-day period). It will digitally register a traveler's entry, exit, and any refusal of entry. - For their first entry under the new system, travelers will need to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and a facial image, at a self-service kiosk or to a border guard. This data will be stored for up to three years. - The system has been in a phased rollout since October 12, 2025, and is expected to be fully operational by April 10, 2026. Until then, manual passport stamping will continue alongside the new digital registration. - The anticipated delays are attributed to several critical issues, including chronic understaffing at border controls, unresolved technological problems with automation, and very limited use of a pre-registration app by Schengen countries. - Even during the current partial implementation phase, where only 35% of non-EU travelers are being registered in the EES, airports are already reporting persistent waiting times of up to two hours. - The EES applies to 29 European countries, including most EU member states as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. It does not apply to travel to Cyprus and Ireland. - This system is part of the EU's "Smart Borders" initiative and is separate from the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). ETIAS, which is expected to launch in the last quarter of 2026, is a pre-travel authorization requirement for visa-exempt non-EU nationals. - To manage the summer travel rush, EU rules allow member states to temporarily and partially suspend EES checks to alleviate long queues during peak periods after the full rollout in April 2026.