From autumn 2025, British travellers to European Union countries will be required to undergo fingerprint and facial scanning, passport checks, and have their vehicle photographed, creating the potential for delayed journeys, especially during peak periods. The manual checks will not be a one-off, needing to take place on every trip made until a digitalised system comes online.
The new EU rules are being introduced for all “third country” citizens as part of new measures to secure the borders of the Schengen Area. The British chose to become third-country citizens in the eyes of the EU when a majority of them voted to leave the bloc in 2016’s Brexit referendum.
Eventually, a digital and biometric system will perform the entry checks, recording and retaining traveller details for future trips for a set period or until the passport validity expires. The automated checks will reduce the need for travellers to exit their vehicles for manual, physical verification but until then the detail capture needs to take place in person, outside the vehicle, meaning all those on their way to the EU will need to go through the process, on every journey.
BREAKING: The Government confirms no EU e-Gates after EU introduces new fingerprinting requirements in October.
— Andrew Griffith MP (@griffitha) June 4, 2025
Instead of being able to breeze through the fast-lane, Brits will be stuck with everyone else scanning their fingerprints and faces at kiosks. 🧵 pic.twitter.com/XraH1VUsW2
Doug Bannister, the Port of Dover’s chief executive confirmed to The Guardian that summer travel would continue as usual with passport checks. but from the autumn the “big changes” would have to be catered for. The port is reclaiming 13 hectares of land to create enough room for people to stop and exit their vehicles for the checks and the data capture in comfort in all weathers.
“We needed to cater for a carload of four people on a large, stormy night,” Bannister said. “We couldn’t have people exit their vehicles in the ferry queues. That would be dangerous.” He anticipates the process will add around six minutes to boarding times but commentators are predicting much longer delays.
Travel and Tour Weekly notes that UK travellers can prepare for the checks by building additional time into their journey planning to take account of potential delays at the border. They should have passports ready for manual checks and accept that biometric scanning will occur at ports and airports. They should also be prepared for further changes as the EU’s Entry and Exit System comes fully online.
What’s more, any claustrophobic coach passengers might have to brace themselves for an ordeal, according to reports in EuroWeekly that specify: “Coaches will be tape-sealed shut after checks, driven across town, and watched by AI and number plate recognition.”
It all goes to show that “taking back control” of borders, one of the key Brexit promises that many pro-Leave supporters were in favour of, is something that goes both ways.
