Queues at some Schengen airports have reached up to 5 hours during peak periods this summer under the EU's Entry/Exit System, which became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Airline and airport bodies asked the European Commission to allow EES to be switched off at overwhelmed borders; the Commission has refused, calling a blanket suspension neither needed nor possible.
TL;DR · LAST REVIEWED 20 July 2026
- EES biometric border checks are causing long queues at some Schengen airports this summer.
- Separately, UK travellers should also check their passport is under 10 years old and has 3+ months validity left before departure.
KEY FACTS
- EES fully operational across Schengen external borders since 10 April 2026
- Queues reported up to 5 hours at peak periods this summer
- European Commission has rejected a blanket EES suspension at overwhelmed borders
- Schengen passport rule: issued within last 10 years, 3+ months validity beyond departure
What is the EU Entry/Exit System and how does it affect UK travellers?
EES is an automated border system that registers non-EU nationals, including UK citizens, each time they cross a Schengen external border, recording fingerprints and a facial scan on first arrival instead of a manual passport stamp, having been phased in from 12 October 2025 and reaching its full implementation target on 10 April 2026.
The system also automatically tracks the 90 days in any rolling 180-day period that visa-exempt travellers, including UK passport holders, are permitted to spend in the Schengen Area, replacing the previous manual stamp-counting method.
Registration typically happens via a self-service kiosk or a border officer, and can take longer for children or first-time registrations than for the quick verification used on repeat visits once a traveller's biometric data is on file.
For the fuller picture on entry requirements, visa-exempt status and what changes for different nationalities, see the UK visa guidance hub.
Why are queues getting longer this summer?
Airport trade bodies report queues of up to 5 hours during peak periods this summer, driven by a combination of understaffing at some border posts and roughly double the normal passenger volume in July and August, with one industry body noting that at times only up to 35% of Schengen arrivals were being processed through the fuller EES registration.
Specific examples reported this month include average clearance times at Rome's Fiumicino Airport rising from around 7 minutes to around 20 minutes for UK nationals, and queues at Faro Airport in Portugal rising from roughly 10 minutes to more than 30.
Airline and airport bodies, including Ryanair, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France and easyJet, formally asked the European Commission to allow EES to be switched off at borders experiencing severe overload. The Commission rejected a blanket suspension, describing it as "not needed and not possible," while acknowledging around twenty especially difficult locations across the network.
What about ETIAS, and does a passport's age matter?
ETIAS, the separate travel authorisation due to follow EES for visa-exempt travellers including UK nationals, was targeted for late 2026 but was reported in July 2026 to be facing a further delay beyond that date.
Separately, and unrelated to EES itself, UK travellers should check the age of their passport before a Schengen trip: under the Schengen Borders Code, a passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and have at least 3 months of validity remaining beyond the planned departure date from the Schengen Area, and UK passports issued before 2018 in particular can carry extra bonus months from an earlier renewal that Schengen border checks do not recognise.
Border delays are not limited to EES: Ryanair has separately warned of delays at 15 European airports this summer, and Border Force has issued its own warning to young travellers about smuggling gangs targeting UK points of entry, a reminder that queue length is only one part of the current border picture.
RELATED GUIDES
DISCLAIMER
This article is for general information only and is not financial, legal or immigration advice. Facts are sourced from the outlets and regulators listed below and were accurate at the time of writing; details of breaking or reported policy changes may be updated once formally confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Do UK travellers need a visa to visit the EU right now?
No visa is currently required for short stays under the 90/180-day rule for most UK travellers to the Schengen Area. EES has introduced biometric registration at the border, not a visa requirement, and ETIAS has not yet come into force.
How can UK travellers reduce time at EES border control?
There is no way to skip the first-time registration entirely, but Frontex has developed an app allowing pre-registration of travel document data and a facial image ahead of arrival.
Why might a UK passport be rejected even if it has not expired?
Schengen rules require a passport to have been issued within the last 10 years, separately from its printed expiry date. A UK passport with bonus validity months from an early renewal before 2018 can therefore be refused even though it is not technically expired.
Has the Entry/Exit System replaced passport stamps everywhere?
EES reached its full implementation target across Schengen external borders on 10 April 2026, but the rollout has faced technical issues and uneven staffing, meaning experience can still vary noticeably by airport and time of year.
When will ETIAS be required for UK travellers?
ETIAS was targeted for late 2026 but was reported in July 2026 to be facing a further delay. Confirm the current target date on the European Commission's ETIAS page before travel.
SOURCES
- GOV.UK, EU Entry/Exit System guidance – accessed 20 July 2026
- House of Commons Library, The EU Entry/Exit system and EU travel authorisation system – accessed 20 July 2026
- Fragomen, Clarification on 10-Year Passport Validity Cap – accessed 20 July 2026
- Greek City Times, New EU Entry/Exit System tripling border times – accessed 20 July 2026
