What are the EU’s new travel rules for Brits? And just how long will the queues really be?
8 May 2024, 10:26
New EU travel rules coming for British holidaymakers this October are expected to cause significant delays - but two-thirds of UK adults are unaware of how they will be affected.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Since the UK left the EU there have been a number of changes for travellers, including new limits on the number of days you can visit EU countries without needing a visa.
The latest is the European Union's Entry/Exit Scheme (EES) which is intended to streamline entering and leaving the EU for Brits.
When will the new EU travel system be implemented?
The EES is expected to launch on October 6 2024. The original rollout date, which was scheduled for last year, was delayed amid concerns it could disrupt travel to the Olympics in Paris.
The UK’s transport department has insisted the scheme will have a “six-month soft launch” as travellers expressed fears of travel chaos.
What are the new rules?
The EES will no longer stamp passports and will instead verify passengers’ names, biometric data and their place of entry and exit.
This means Brits travelling to Europe will need to submit fingerprints and facial biometrics before they travel.
The idea is that EES will keep track of migration data more effectively, eventually reducing time spent waiting at border control when they travel.
How will it affect travel?
Border control operators have warned that The Port of Dover, and Eurostar and Eurotunnel terminals are expected to suffer the worst delays.
At The Port of Dover, EES is likely to add up to 10 minutes for a family of five in a vehicle compared with the usual 45-90 seconds process time.
Eurotunnel reportedly estimated that the average time to get through the French frontier will increase from under a minute to 5-7 minutes.
