Greece eases UK entry

Greece has stopped taking fingerprints from UK passport holders at its borders, carving British travellers out of the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System checks. (independent.co.uk) The European Commission says the Entry/Exit System became operational on April 10, 2026, replacing passport stamps for short-stay non-European Union travellers with a digital record of names, travel documents, facial images and fingerprints. (europa.eu) Under the standard rules, British travellers entering the Schengen area for the first time were expected to register four fingerprints from the right hand and a facial biometric, with children under 12 exempt from fingerprinting. (independent.co.uk) Greece’s change was described on April 19 by Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, who said British passport holders were now exempt from biometric registration at Greek border points. (aol.com) Skarveli said the exemption would deliver “a smoother and more efficient arrival experience” and cut waiting times at airports as Greece heads into the summer season. (aol.com) The shift lands just nine days after the European Union switched on the new border database across 29 countries using the system, after years of delays and warnings that first-time enrolment could slow queues. (europa.eu) European Union guidance had already allowed for a phased rollout of biometric collection during the system’s first six months, with passports continuing to be stamped where the new process was not yet fully in place. (europa.eu) For Greece, the British market is too large to ignore. Research cited by the Greek tourism sector showed Germany and the United Kingdom were the top two source markets for arrivals to Greece in 2024. (news.gtp.gr) Greece collected €21.7 billion in travel receipts in 2024, up 5.4% from a year earlier, according to the Bank of Greece, giving Athens a strong incentive to keep airport processing fast at the start of peak season. (bankofgreece.gr) The practical result for British holidaymakers is simpler than the policy fight behind it: in Greece, the new European border regime is now lighter than many travellers were told to expect. (independent.co.uk)