The new Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational across the Schengen Area on 10 April 2026, bringing a major change to how UK travellers enter many of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations – so what will EES family travel look like this summer?
For families heading abroad this summer, it means new biometric checks at the border, longer processing times on arrival and a shift away from traditional passport stamping. While the system is designed to improve security and speed up future journeys, the first trip under EES is likely to take longer.
The timing is particularly significant, with ABTA estimating that 2.2 million Britons will head overseas between 24 and 27 July – the first weekend all UK schools are on their summer holidays. For many families, it will also be their first experience of travelling under the new system.
Travel expert Adam Edinburgh, Head of Travel and New Products at the Post Office, says travellers should do their research and allow extra time when travelling under EES, while Helena Sheizon, Founder of Kadmos Immigration, says many British families are still unaware of how much travel to Europe has changed since Brexit.
“British holidaymakers are now travelling to Europe as non-EU nationals, and that means the checks are different from what many people were used to before Brexit,” Sheizon said. “The biggest risk for families this summer is assuming nothing has changed.”
Here’s what the Entry/Exit System means in practice, how it affects children and what families can do now to avoid unnecessary delays.
Key takeaways
• The EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now in operation for UK travellers visiting most Schengen countries.
• You’ll need to provide biometric data (a facial photo and, for most adults, fingerprints) the first time you enter.
• Border queues may be longer this summer, particularly at busy airports in Spain, France and Italy.
• Children under 12 will not have their fingerprints taken.
• A separate travel authorisation, ETIAS, is expected later in 2026 – don’t pay unofficial websites claiming to offer it now.
• Arrive at the airport earlier than usual and head straight to passport control after check-in.
Expect new biometric checks at the border
Jump to
What is the EES system?
What biometric data is collected during EES border checks?
Do children need to use EES?
Which countries does EES apply to?
Will EES cause delays for families?
How to prepare before you travel
What is ETIAS and do families need it?
What is the EES system?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new digital border control system for non-EU nationals travelling into the Schengen Area for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.
Instead of receiving a passport stamp, travellers will now be registered electronically when entering and leaving the region. This includes scanning passports and collecting biometric data during the first visit.
For UK families travelling to destinations such as Spain, Portugal, Greece, France and Italy, this will now be part of the standard arrival process.
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What biometric data is collected during EES border checks?
The new EU biometric checks collect both biometric and travel information to monitor entries and exits more accurately. Travellers will have a facial image taken and, in most cases, fingerprints recorded. Passport details will be scanned and entry and exit dates logged automatically.
This data is stored for three years for standard visits, or up to five years if someone overstays their permitted time.
Travellers will now be registered electronically
Do children need to use EES?
Yes. Families travelling to Europe with children will all need to use the Entry/Exit System (EES). Every traveller, including babies and young children, must complete the new EU biometric border checks when entering the Schengen Area for the first time.
It’s worth noting that EES for children works slightly differently to adults. Children under 12 will have a facial image taken but will not need to provide fingerprints. From the age of 12, children will normally have both a facial image and fingerprints recorded during their first trip under the new system.
Registration takes place when you arrive at the external Schengen border for the first time, so each family member will be processed individually.
Mattijs Wijnmalen, CEO of digital road travel provider Vignette Switzerland, says parents should explain the process before leaving home so children know they may need to look at a camera or place their fingers on a scanner. He added: “Parents with babies or young children should keep drinks, snacks, medication and a simple activity close at hand in case queues take longer than expected.”
Families should also be aware that border officials may ask for additional documentation in some situations.
“Every child is treated as an individual traveller at the border,” says Joanna Smykowski, family law expert at Custody X Change. “If one parent is travelling alone with a child, or the child has a different surname, carrying a birth certificate, consent letter or other supporting paperwork can help avoid unnecessary delays if you’re asked to prove your relationship.”
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Which countries does EES apply to?
The EES applies across the Schengen Area, covering most of the European destinations UK families typically travel to for holidays.
This includes countries such as Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, as well as others like Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Poland and Switzerland. It also applies to non-EU Schengen countries, including Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
In total, more than 25 European countries are part of the system, and the 90-day limit applies across all of them combined, not individually.
However, there are a few important exceptions. Ireland and Cyprus are not part of the Schengen Area, so the EES does not apply there. UK travellers visiting these destinations will continue to go through manual passport checks and stamping instead.
Keep all key documents easily accessible
Will EES cause delays for families?
Initially, yes. While the system is designed to make border crossings more secure and efficient in the long term, many airports have experienced lengthy queues since EES became fully operational.
The biggest delays tend to affect first-time travellers using the system, as each passenger must register their biometric details, a process that can take between three and seven minutes per person.
ABTA says this weekend (24-27 July) will be the busiest overseas travel period of the summer, with airports including Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester expecting exceptionally high passenger numbers. The association advises families travelling to Europe with children to allow extra time, particularly if this is their first journey using EES passport control checks.
For those hopping across the Channel, the UK and French governments have agreed to increase staffing at border controls during the summer peak, while additional funding is being used to expand passport-checking capacity at Dover, Eurotunnel and Eurostar. The measures are intended to reduce queues as more families encounter EES checks during the school holidays, although travellers using Channel crossings should still allow extra time.
“We’ve seen a 32% increase in families travelling this Saturday compared with last year,” says Jemma Bridges, Head of Indirect Sales at Club Med. “Travel light where you can, ensure all your documentation is well within date and know that the moment you land, everything from your room to your meals to your kids’ clubs is already taken care of.”
Long queues have also been reported at Paris Charles de Gaulle, Rome Fiumicino, Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Brussels, Amsterdam and Faro. Spain’s Palma, Alicante and Malaga airports are expected to be among the busiest for UK holidaymakers this summer, with border checks and separate air traffic control disruption potentially adding to delays.
Greece has temporarily relaxed some biometric checks during the peak summer season to help reduce waiting times, highlighting that implementation is not identical across every Schengen country.
Travel experts recommend allowing significantly more time than usual when travelling through affected airports, particularly during school holidays or if you’re travelling with young children.
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The EES applies across the Schengen Area
EES top tips: How to prepare before you travel
A little preparation can make the new border process much less stressful.
- Check your passport is less than 10 years old on the date you enter the EU and has at least three months’ validity after your planned return.
- Head straight to security and passport control after check-in rather than stopping for food or shopping first. Jürgen Himmelmann, Co-Founder of Global Work & Travel, says this is one of the biggest mistakes travellers are making under the new system.
- Allow much more time than usual at the airport, particularly if this is your first EES trip.
- Download boarding passes and travel documents to your phone before travelling in case airport Wi-Fi is busy.
- Check whether your airport offers biometric pre-registration or e-gates, as facilities vary.
- Avoid very tight flight connections through Schengen airports where possible.
- If practical, travel with hand luggage only to skip baggage drop queues.
- Consider buying fast-track security if available. At some UK airports this costs from around £4–£6 per person and can significantly reduce waiting times.
- Remember that gels such as aloe vera count towards the standard 100ml liquids allowance, while power banks must travel in your cabin baggage.
Check your travel insurance before travelling to Europe
If you’re worried about missing a connection because of long EES queues, it’s worth checking your travel insurance before you leave. Chrissy Valdez, Senior Director of Operations at Squaremouth, says travellers shouldn’t assume they’ll be reimbursed if delays at passport control cause them to miss a connection or incur extra costs, so it’s important to understand exactly what your policy does and doesn’t cover.
– READ MORE: How to plan your first ski holiday with a baby or toddler –
What is ETIAS and do families need it?
Separate from EES, the EU is also introducing ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System), an online travel authorisation similar to the US ESTA.
ETIAS is currently expected to launch later in 2026, although it won’t become fully mandatory immediately.
Once introduced, UK travellers will need to apply online before travelling to most European countries covered by the Schengen Area. The application is expected to remain valid for around three years, or until your passport expires.
Families should be aware that the official ETIAS application system has not yet opened. Experts are warning travellers not to pay unofficial websites claiming to offer ETIAS registrations, as these are not legitimate.
Children will also require ETIAS once it launches later in 2026, although no applications can currently be made.
EES FAQs
Will EES apply to children?
Yes. Every traveller, including babies and children, will be registered under the Entry/Exit System. Children under 12 will only have a facial image taken and are exempt from fingerprint collection. Children aged 12 and over will normally have both a facial image and fingerprints recorded during their first trip.
What is the age exemption for EES?
Children under the age of 12 do not need to provide fingerprints. However, they are still registered under EES and will have a facial image taken when entering the Schengen Area for the first time.
Can I check my EES status online?
No. There is no online portal where travellers can check their EES record. Your details are registered electronically when you cross the Schengen border and there is no application or account to manage before you travel.
Can I apply for EES before I travel?
No. Unlike ETIAS, there is no online application or fee. Registration takes place automatically when you arrive at the external Schengen border for your first trip.
Who is eligible for EES?
EES applies to non-EU nationals travelling to the Schengen Area for short stays, including British passport holders. It does not apply to Ireland or Cyprus, where passport checks continue under existing rules.
What does EES stand for?
EES stands for Entry/Exit System. It is the EU’s new digital border system that replaces passport stamps with an electronic record of when non-EU travellers enter and leave the Schengen Area.
Do children need to apply for ETIAS?
No. ETIAS has not launched yet and applications are not currently open. Once it is introduced later in 2026, eligible travellers, including children, will need a valid ETIAS travel authorisation before travelling to most Schengen countries. Families should avoid paying unofficial websites claiming to offer ETIAS registrations before the official scheme opens.
Will Brits have to give fingerprints on holiday in Europe?
Most adult British travellers will. On their first trip under EES, travellers will have a facial image taken and, in most cases, fingerprints recorded. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprint collection, although they will still have a facial image taken.
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