This weekend, after a much delayed start, the process for entering the Schengen area is to change as part of a process of digitalising the European borders. The introduction of the Entry/Exit System is the first element of this modernisation, which takes effect from Sunday 12 October.
This is going to be a phased roll out across the Schengen area, at all ports, airports and international railway stations (St Pancras for example in London), with the expectation that it will be completed by next April. Note, this doesn’t include Ireland and Cyprus. However, we believe it won’t be operating everywhere on the 12th and we won’t know in advance what countries will be up and running first.
The great news is for this you don’t need to do anything in advance, if you’re a British Citizen. When you arrive at your destination airport (or arrive on a cruise, or depart from St Pancras), you’ll be asked to register your biometric data – fingerprints and facial recognition at either a desk or kiosk.
During this interim period, our passports will continue to be stamped as we have become accustomed to since we left the European Union – although this will stop next April when we expect the whole of the system to be up and running.
With everyone lodging their biometric detail for the first time, it could cause longer than normal queues in some destinations – especially during October half term and the Christmas holidays.
