Biometric Checks For Brits Entering EU To Begin in October
Biometric Checks For Brits Entering EU To Begin in October
Published : 01-Aug-2025 04:45
A plan delayed multiple times to bring in biometric checks for Brits entering the EU will begin being rolled out across the EU from 12 October.
It means that, thank to Brexit, UK travellers entering or leaving the EU will need to undergo biometric checks.
Although the initial checks will take longer than the current passport stamps, reintroduced after Brexit and the UK government decision to also leave the Schengen Agreement, EU officials say in the longer term the new Entry/Exit System (EES) will mean faster and more automated border processing as well as facilitate the use of EU e-gates by British passport holders who have completed the biometric registration process thanks to a recent UK-EU agreement.
This will require fingerprints and facial scans at airports, ports, and train stations. Data will be stored for three years, allowing faster future crossings via e-gates.
The rollout, originally planned for November 2024 but delayed by technical issues, will span six months, with full implementation by 10 April 2026.
Registration is free, but mandatory — refusal means denied entry. Travellers will use dedicated booths or, in some cases, handheld devices in cars. French border checks will continue at UK sites like Dover and Folkestone.
Concerns over long queues remain, especially at peak times and at busy crossings like the Eurotunnel and the UK government has warned of potential long delays.
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