The European Commission has confirmed that neither Portugal nor Italy will be suspending digital border checks for Brits. The news comes after rumours suggested the two countries might be following the example of Greece by dropping Entry Exit System (EES) checks on arrivals.
Since 10 April 2026, the European Union has officially adopted its new Entry/Exit System (EES). Eliminating the need for manual passport stamping at borders, the system gathers biometric data from non-European, third-country arrivals to any of the 29 nations that are part of the Schengen Zone. A facial image, fingerprints, passport information, as well as entry and exit dates, are gathered upon arrival. The EES, which is completely free, applies to those without a residence permit or long-stay visa for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
@cheapholidayexpert How to use the new EES kiosks☝️ WATCH THIS before your next trip to Europe 🇪🇺 💾 And don't forget to save and share for next time you travel! ⚠️ WHAT IS EES? ⚠️ EES stands for ‘Entry Exit System’ which is a new automated computer system that tracks when non-EU nationals (that includes us Brits) when go in and out of most of Europe. It’s set to replace stamps. ⚠️ WHEN DOES THIS COME IN? ⚠️ EES begins on 12th Oct but there’s a 6 month gradual rollout and so it’s likely that not many places will be up and running straight away. ⚠️ HOW WILL I KNOW IF IT’S AFFECTING MY JOURNEY? ⚠️ Some places have said it will be up and running on Sunday including Estonia, Czechia and Luxembourg but even there they haven’t confirmed whether it will be for every single flight. It's going to take a while to see how it plays out… ⚠️ WHAT’S AN EES KIOSK? ⚠️ To help speed things up, airports, train stations and ports have installed EES self service kiosks. This allows you to ‘pre-register’ so that when you get to border control, they’ll simply swipe your passport and all the needed info for EES will be come up. ⚠️ WHAT IF I DON’T USE AN EES KIOSK? ⚠️ If you can’t find one, it’s not working or need extra assistance, you would just go to border control as normal and they will do a manual EES check with you if it’s required. ⚠️ WHERE WILL I FIND AN EES KIOSK? ⚠️ Ask yourself: at what stage of your journey does your passport normally get stamped? Wherever that is, the EES kiosks are likely to be just before it. For flights from the UK, this would be after you land but before you go through to arrivals. For the Eurostar at St Pancras, the ferry at Dover and the Eurotunnel at Folkestone however, this would be done before you leave the UK. For all return journeys, you would do the checks before you board your transport home. 📣 LET ME KNOW… If you have any more questions!! I have tried my best to keep it as simple as possible!! Ultimately, the proof will be in the pudding so HIT FOLLOW as I’m gonna go try and test it out when it comes in on SUNDAY! #EES #EntryExitSystem #uktravel #uktoeurope ♬ original sound – Holiday Expert | Chelsea 👋
However, although the EES had been in the making for a long time and even though everything was supposed to run smoothly by 10 April 2026, the system has been encountering several (practical) issues. Long queues have become a common sight at airports and other entry points to the Schengen Zone, even before the start of the high season.
Countries have therefore been known to adopt alternative strategies concerning the EES, even though the European Commission has not allowed its member states to do so. The only legal exception to the new system that has been included in the roll-out is the possibility to pause biometric collection for six-hour windows during exceptionally busy times, a flexibility that runs through July can be applied until September under certain conditions.
✈️ Flying to Europe soon?
— UK in Italy 🇬🇧🇮🇹 (@UKinItaly) May 12, 2026
The EU Entry/Exit System (#EES) means a quick digital check when you enter & leave the EU✅
Your digital EES record is valid for 3 years.
👉 https://t.co/jRQXzKkygL
Find out more about how your data is processed 👉 https://t.co/PKd1qlTLbv pic.twitter.com/q5cOKv9k6D
“There has been no change to the EES regulation. Indeed, the EES regulation foresees flexibilities and fallback procedures that Member States can rely on when needed,” a Commission spokesperson said in a statement.
However, countries are deciding to take action on their own initiative. In France, for example, the EES has not yet been implemented at the Port of Dover, nor has it been applied to car travellers taking the Eurotunnel. In Spain, airports are choosing to switch between EES and manual stamping. And Greece announced it would be dropping the EES for British travellers.
“We would like to inform you that within the framework of the implementation of the new ESS as of 10 April 2026, British passport holders are excluded from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points,” a statement published by the Embassy of Greece in London read.
@jorazeneli this is vile🥲 #fyp #trending #viral #airport #internationalstudent #traveltiktok #passport #control #visa #europe ♬ zmeya.miss – 𝐊𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐀⭐️
Portugal and Italy continue EES
While reports previously suggested Italy and Portugal might be following in the footsteps of Greece, the European Commission has now officially denied those rumours.
“The Portuguese and Italian authorities confirmed that they do not intend to exempt any nationality,” the Commission stated.
Brits travelling to Portugal and Italy this summer should thus prepare themselves to undergo the biometric checks. Arriving on time at the airport is strongly advised, as long queues are to be expected over the busy summer season.
