Nine EU countries, including France, are delaying the rollout of fingerprint checks for non-EU travellers and asking for more time to set up the new border system at busy airports. The Entry/Exit System (EES) was supposed to be fully in place by 6 September, but it has been postponed several times to prevent long queues during major events like the 2024 Olympics. Now nine countries—including popular tourist spots France, Greece, Portugal, and Italy—have told Brussels they need extra time. Germany, Malta, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium have also asked for delays. Spain, which had early issues, is rolling out the EES fully.
The EES was first approved by the EU in 2017, officially launched last October, and was meant to be fully running by April. But early problems, especially in Greece and Portugal, led to another extension for member states. EU sources say the system is working well, with about 200 million registrations and 70,000 people blocked from entering the Schengen area, up from 43,700 in June. These include people without visas, those who have overstayed their 180-day limit, or Britons who have exceeded their 90-day allowance. Criminals using fake passports or ID documents have also been caught, as fingerprint and facial records reveal when someone uses different passports.
The delays in those nine countries are not nationwide. Fingerprinting has begun at the Eurostar terminal in Brussels and Antwerp port, but not at all airports. Large airports like Frankfurt and Schiphol—two of Europe’s busiest international hubs—are also using biometrics, but smaller airports may not be fully ready. Sources say only 12 out of 1,500 border crossing points still have issues. France has also not introduced checks at the Port of Dover, where French police uniquely carry out border controls in a non-EU country.
Technically, countries that do not capture fingerprints and facial images are now violating EU rules, which ended any right to suspend the EES. But Brussels sources have confirmed they will not face legal action. Earlier this summer, the EU noted that one airport was a small regional facility where 3,000 passengers could arrive in an hour during peak holiday season, but it could not be assessed because there were only four booths for biometric capture. The International Air Transport Association called for a full suspension in July, complaining that passengers were missing connections in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Belgium. Ryanair warned of “queue chaos” at airports including Málaga and Palma. The pre-authorisation app, Travel to Europe, which lets passengers register their facial image and passport details before travelling, will soon work for seven countries, sources say. So far, it is only operational in Sweden and Portugal.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs Nine EU Countries Delay the Start of EES Border Checks
1 What is the EES
The EntryExit System is a new EU digital border system It records when nonEU travellers enter and leave the Schengen area replacing passport stamps
2 Which nine countries pushed back the start
Reports have named France Germany Italy Spain the Netherlands Belgium Austria Poland and Portugal The exact list can change so check the latest official announcements
3 When was the EES supposed to start
It was planned to roll out in stages from October 2025 with full operation by April 2026 The nine countries say they need more time
4 Why are they delaying it
Mainly because the equipment and software arent fully ready at their borders and theyre worried about long queues at airports and ports
5 Who does the EES apply to
NonEU citizens travelling to the Schengen area for short stays for example tourists business visitors and people visiting family
6 Who is exempt
EU citizens people with residence permits in the EU and travellers from countries with special agreements such as some microstates Children under 12 dont have to give fingerprints
7 What information does the EES collect
Your name passport details date and place of entry and exit fingerprints and a facial image
8 How is it different from ETIAS
EES is a border recording system it registers your entry and exit ETIAS is a travel authorisation you apply for online before you travel They are separate systems
9 Will I still get a passport stamp
No Once EES is fully running it replaces manual passport stamping
10 Do I need to do anything before I travel
No application is needed You just show your passport at the border and your fingerprints and photo are taken at a selfservice kiosk or by an officer
11 How long will border checks take
The first time expect a few extra minutes for registration After that checks should be faster because your data is already in the system
12 What are the main benefits
Faster more secure borders better tracking of overstayers and a clear digital record of your travel history
