Europe’s Border Tech, Still Pending
Six months after the EU's Entry/Exit System went fully live, UK-side checks are still patchy and ETIAS has no date. Plan winter Europe trips around queue risk, not paperwork.
For UK clients heading to Europe this winter, the risk is a queue, not a missing form. The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, according to the European Commission. At the UK’s own departure points, though, biometric registration is still incomplete, and the temporary rules that let border posts ease off at busy times expired in early September.
Where EES stands
EES replaces passport stamps with a digital record of each entry and exit. On a first crossing, non-EU travellers on short stays give a facial image and fingerprints. Children under 12 give a facial image only. It is free. ABTA lists 30 participating countries; Cyprus and Ireland still stamp passports by hand.
The flexibility measures that let member states scale back biometric capture during congestion lapsed on 6 to 7 September, Newland Chase and Connexion report. Newland Chase says IATA, ABTA and major carriers asked the Commission to reinstate them after a summer of multi-hour airport queues. The Commission had not responded.
The juxtaposed controls in England have lagged. Connexion reported on 7 September that Dover was processing car passengers without biometrics because its kiosks were still not working. Eurostar and Eurotunnel both said there was “no change for customers” while they waited for French clearance. The same day, Port Boulogne Calais said it had been told “the tolerance period has been extended to the end of the year.” That extension has not been officially confirmed.
ETIAS: no date
ETIAS, the EU’s pre-travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors including British passport holders, still has no confirmed launch date, ABTA says. It will cost €20, last three years and be free for under-18s and over-70s. In July, the Financial Times reported (via ETIAS.com) that eu-LISA considered a 2026 launch no longer feasible. Newland Chase says the official portal has dropped its “last quarter of 2026” target. Newland Chase also says the Commission has committed to giving several months’ notice before launch, followed by a transitional grace period. ABTA warns that more than 60 fraudulent websites already offer ETIAS applications.
Inbound, the UK’s own ETA costs £20 per traveller, babies included.
For advisors
- No ETIAS is needed this winter. Tell clients to ignore any site that charges for one now.
- Allow extra time on first crossings for Eurostar, Dover and Folkestone departures, especially at October half-term and Christmas. Follow the operator’s recommended check-in times.
- Chauffeured or self-drive clients going via Dover should allow for the queue if full biometric checks start without warning. Port Boulogne Calais’s reported year-end extension is unconfirmed.
- For US and Canadian clients coming to London, add the £20 UK ETA to every itinerary checklist, one per traveller.
Sources
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