Brits will face a new travel rule when entering Europe and it could impact your holiday. From October 12, Brits will need to scan their passport, have fingerprints and their photograph taken when entering EU countries.

The EU‘s new entry-exit scheme, known as EES, is being introduced to replace passport stamping for all non-EU citizens. The new rules will apply in the Schengen area, which includes 29 countries – but not Ireland or Cyprus. It will take a total of six months for full implementation of the new system. Biometric tests will be carried out at an automated kiosk or by a border officer.

For those travelling, once you have completed the process in one country, you’ll only need to scan your passport and provide either fingerprints or a photo in any of the other listed countries. 

This is a new digital border system that will change requirements for British citizens travelling to the Schengen area.

The countries in the Schengen area are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, and therefore EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries.

EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border once the system starts.

If you frequently travel to the Schengen area for work and/or leisure purposes, you must ensure that your total stay in the Schengen area is no more than 90 days in every 180 days.

There could be a penalty if you overstay this time.

If you’re planning a trip soon, it’s crucial to make sure you understand the new rules to ensure your travels run smoothly.