Simon Calder reports Dover EU border jams

Simon Calder reported from Dover on Saturday, May 23, that traffic built up around the port as travelers heading for France faced delays linked to the European Union’s Entry/Exit System, or EES. The Independent said passengers were waiting at least 90 minutes for border checks, with some reporting roughly two additional hours just to get into the port area. Photos and videos circulating on social media the same day showed long lines of vehicles approaching Dover, alongside reports of congestion on surrounding roads. The disruption came during the bank holiday getaway, when Dover was expecting one of its busiest departure days of the year. ### Why were travelers getting stuck at Dover on May 23? The Port of Dover was handling heavy holiday traffic on May 23 at the same time as French border officers were processing outbound passengers under the EU’s digital entry system. The Independent reported that the delays were tied to EES-related checks and that surrounding roads, including the M20 and A2, were caught in what travelers described as gridlock. (independent.co.uk) At around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, The Independent reported, French passport control staff at the Eastern Docks suspended EES processing and reverted to manual passport stamping after waits stretched toward four-and-a-half to five hours. The report said French authorities used an emergency provision in the EES rules to pause digital registration when queues became unmanageable. (independent.co.uk) ### What is the EU Entry/Exit System? The European Union’s Entry/Exit System started on October 12, 2025, and became fully operational on April 10, 2026, according to the European Commission and the UK government. The system replaces manual passport stamping with digital records of entries, exits and refusals of entry for non-EU nationals traveling for short stays in the Schengen area. (independent.co.uk) UK government guidance says British travelers going to Schengen countries may have to provide biometric information, including a facial image and, for many first-time registrations, fingerprints. The guidance says EES registration is free and is completed at the border on the day of travel rather than in advance. ### Why does Dover face a particular problem with these checks? (gov.uk) Dover is one of the UK’s “juxtaposed” border points, where French checks are carried out before passengers leave Britain. UK government guidance says that for travelers using the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or Eurostar at St Pancras, any EES checks are completed before departure from the UK. The Independent reported that this setup created a bottleneck on Saturday because thousands of vehicles were being processed before boarding ferries for Calais or Dunkirk. (gov.uk) The paper said Dover was expecting more than 8,000 travelers and cited only 11 control points for processing outbound traffic. ### Were fingerprints and facial scans being taken in the traffic lanes? (gov.uk) The Independent reported that no biometrics were being taken in moving traffic lanes at Dover on Saturday because that would be impractical. Instead, the report said French officers were registering required traveler information on the central EES database, a process it said was taking longer than the older passport-stamping system. (independent.co.uk) The UK government’s broader guidance still says EES can involve fingerprints and a photo, especially on a traveler’s first entry to the Schengen area. It also warns that the checks may take longer during busy periods and advises passengers to allow extra time at the border. ### What should travelers watch next? The UK government said in updated guidance on April 10, 2026, that EES checks at Dover are part of normal border processing for travel to the Schengen area. (independent.co.uk) Travelers heading through Dover, Folkestone or St Pancras are being told to follow their operator’s advice and allow extra time, particularly during peak holiday periods. Saturday’s events also put attention back on how French border authorities and the Port of Dover handle peak summer departures under the fully operational EES regime. (gov.uk) For immediate updates, the named participants are the Port of Dover, ferry operators and UK government travel guidance pages covering the Entry/Exit System. (independent.co.uk)