What impact will the EU’s new entry/exit system have on British travelers?

Following the UK’s decision to exit the European Union, the government has reached an agreement that designates British travelers as “third-country nationals” with limited privileges. As a result, holders of British passports are now required to have their travel documents checked and stamped.

In autumn of 2024, there will be additional procedures that may lead to increased bureaucracy. The positive aspect is that passport stamping will no longer be necessary. However, all travelers will be required to undergo fingerprinting and provide a facial biometric.

The EU has proposed implementing an “Entry/Exit System” (EES) to track the movements of non-EU visitors. As of mid-2025, according to the current plan, UK citizens planning to visit the Schengen area will need to apply for entry permission online.

The Schengen zone includes the majority of the 27 remaining countries in the European Union, excluding Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Romania. It also encompasses Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

The Etias, or Electronic Travel Information and Authorisation System, is a measure to further secure border controls. Its implementation is contingent on the full functionality of EES and is expected to be implemented by mid-2025.

The online permit, costing €7 (£6), will have a three-year validity upon its release.

The automated IT system known as the Entry/Exit System is used to register citizens from countries outside of the EU and Schengen area, also referred to as “third countries”.

This system is designed for travelers who are either arriving or departing from an external border of the Schengen area, such as flying from the UK to Spain or driving from Greece to Turkey. It will not be utilized for borders within the Schengen area.

EES will record the date and location of entry or departure, as well as fingerprints and a facial biometric.

The European Union states that this system will take the place of manually stamping passports, which is a slow process and does not accurately track border crossings or identify individuals who have overstayed their permitted time.

British citizens, along with other individuals from non-EU countries, are limited to a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period in the Schengen region. However, the implementation of this rule is currently based on verifying passport stamps and is not consistently enforced.

The updated system will not be implemented in Ireland or Cyprus.

Initially, the planned launch date for EES was set for 2021. However, the EU-Lisa, the organization in charge of implementing the system, has delayed the launch multiple times due to the database not being fully prepared.

In October of 2023, the European Council’s Council for Justice and Home Affairs approved a revised schedule for implementing EES.

The council announced that according to the new IT architecture plan, the Entry/Exit System is scheduled to be operational by autumn 2024.

According to The Independent, the start date has been rescheduled to October 6, 2024.

Passengers departing and arriving from international flights will complete necessary procedures at foreign airports, resembling the process of US immigration, for both entering and exiting the Schengen region.

Upon initial registration, individuals are required to undergo fingerprint checks and provide a facial biometric. For subsequent visits within a three-year period, only one of these will be necessary, with the facial biometric being the preferred option for practical reasons.

Every time someone visits, the passport’s validity is extended for an additional three years, until it reaches its expiration date.

Several European Union countries have raised concerns about the increased time required for the new procedures. The government of Slovenia has cautioned that the new process can take up to four times longer.

For people traveling on land, it may be even more unfavorable.

Tim Reardon, the head of EU exit for the Port of Dover, testified to Parliament about the new system, stating that there are no e-gates for cars and no e-gate process for group travel. Instead, all processes are done one-at-a-time.

It is impossible to perform biometric control without asking everyone to exit their vehicle.

“This is the only scenario that cannot occur on our website, as it would disrupt live traffic. It would be like asking drivers to exit their vehicles at a toll booth on a busy highway. This is a serious safety issue and cannot be allowed.”

In January of 2024, members of Parliament received a warning that British citizens traveling to Europe may experience lengthy delays of 14 hours or more at border control, unless preventative measures are put in place. The European Scrutiny Committee of Parliament was informed by Ashford Borough Council that a wait time of 14 hours is a potential worst-case scenario if the planned scheme is implemented in October.

According to Gareth Williams, the strategy director of Eurostar, a company that operates trains from London to France, there is currently no feasible solution. During the busiest month of August, approximately 80% of passengers will have to pass through the system.

“We are facing a significant space limitation. We would need at least 30 kiosks and an area equivalent to our entire check-in section at St Pancras station.”

EU citizens will not be subject to the rules.

The previously delayed plan is expected to begin approximately six months after EES is fully functional, possibly in the spring of 2025. A “grace period” of six months is expected to be given, indicating that Etias will not become compulsory until late 2025.

According to Europe, Etias is considered a “pre-travel authorization system.” This is similar to the US Esta, Canadian eTA, and British ETA, which are not considered visas but are given to international travelers who do not need a complete visa.

The EU states that its primary role is to check if a non-EU citizen fulfills the necessary criteria for entering the Schengen region before their trip.

However, since Etias mandates that visitors must apply beforehand, disclose a significant amount of personal data, pay a fee, and obtain authorization to cross borders, it is often referred to as a “eurovisa”.

The cost for applicants between the ages of 18 and 70 is €7 (£6). Applicants who are under 18 or over 70 will still require an Etias, but it will be provided at no cost.

Once the EU is prepared, the central component of the system will be an Etias application and website. Individuals traveling will need to provide personal details such as their name, address, contact information in Europe, and passport information. They will also need to disclose their occupation, including job title and employer. Additionally, students will need to specify the name of their educational institution.

The candidate is required to disclose any significant criminal convictions within the last two decades.

Travellers must also provide online the reason for their journey (holiday, business, visiting family, etc), specify the country they will first arrive in, and provide the address of their first night’s stay – which will pose a problem for tourists who like to make plans as they go along.

Like other digital travel authorizations, commercial agents are permitted to participate – however, Frontex, the EU agency responsible for implementing Etias, warns that there are numerous fraudulent websites that may charge significantly more than the standard €7 (£6) fee.

Do not trust any website other than europa.eu/etias as they are not officially authorized.

A fraudulent website falsely states that it has processed 671 applications, but this cannot be true as no applications have been processed yet.

A different website provides a 40% reduction for applying early. Certain websites use the EU insignia, which is against the law.

Frontex cautions against the potential for identity theft in cases where personal information is shared with fraudulent websites.

All applications will undergo screening against both EU and Interpol databases, including a designated Etias watch-list.

The system will be adjusted to identify individuals who are suspected of participating in acts of terrorism, armed robbery, child pornography, fraud, money laundering, cybercrime, human trafficking, illegal trade of endangered animal species, counterfeiting, and industrial espionage.

The European Union strongly recommends obtaining the Etias travel authorization prior to purchasing tickets or making hotel reservations.

The goal is for an Etias to be approved within a few minutes, but it may take up to four days for even a simple application.

If an app is marked (meaning there is a “match” with one of the databases), the applicant may be requested to give more details. Otherwise, according to the EU, the applicant may be invited to take part in an interview with local authorities, potentially extending the process by another 30 days.

If your request is approved, no certificate will be given and there is no need to print anything. The border guard will obtain the necessary information from the passport you submitted during the application process.

Absolutely. Instructions on how to appeal will be provided along with the rejection notification.

The EU states that possessing a travel authorization does not guarantee the right to enter. Similar to the US, individuals may be denied entry for any reason.

There may be a system in effect for revoking an Etias.

The permit will remain valid for a duration of three years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

The Common Travel Area, which includes the UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands, is not subject to European Union regulations. Additionally, Ireland is not a part of the Schengen area.

No.

They will need to enlist the help of a friend, family member, or travel agent to submit the application on their behalf, following the same process as the US Esta and other similar programs.

After departing from the European Union, the UK has requested to follow this regulation, which states that British travelers are limited to a maximum of 90 days within a period of 180 days.

For instance, if you were to stay in the Schengen area for the first 90 days of 2024 (January, February, and most of March), you would not be able to come back until late June.

Efforts to improve the security of the European Union’s external border were already in progress prior to the UK’s decision to leave the EU in June 2016.

Etias would have no significance if the UK remained in the EU. However, the country chose to exit the European Union and the British government arranged for British citizens to be considered as third-country nationals, resulting in additional bureaucratic procedures.

Source: independent.co.uk