Brits travelling to Europe will now be fingerprinted on arrival
New rules come into effect today that will see United Kingdom citizens travelling to Europe required to have their fingerprints taken at the EU border.
Due to the introduction of the Entry Exit System (EES), British passport holders will now need to register on their first visit to a country where EES checks are operating.
Registration is conducted at the EU border and requires non-EU citizens to scan their passport and have their fingerprints and photograph taken. Registration will be valid for a rolling three-year period or until the visitor’s passport has expired.
When they leave the EU or return for subsequent visits, British travellers will need to scan their passport and provide either their fingerprints or aphotograph at the EU border.
The new system will be phased in over six months, and different countries will likely have varying requirements until the general implementation deadline of April 2026.
These new border checks will not be required for non-EU citizens travelling to Ireland or Cyprus, but will be encountered when entering all other Schengen area countries, including Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Travellers do not need to take any action before travelling and the process is free. They will simply register at the EU border upon arrival, which should take 1-2 minutes per person.
UK-EU dual citizens using their EU passports will be exempt from the new requirements, and children under 12 will not have their fingerprints taken.
The government said it has invested £10.5 million in border infrastructure to make the change as smooth as possible for travellers.
“We recognise that EES checks will be a significant change for British travellers, which is why we have worked closely with our European partners to ensure the rollout goes as smoothly as possible,” said Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris.
“The UK and EU have a shared objective of securing our borders and these modernisation measures will help us protect our citizens and prevent illegal migration.”
