From Sunday, all non-EU citizens, including British visitors, will face new biometric checks when entering and exiting the European Union under its long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES).
The EES will require travellers to register fingerprints, facial images, and personal details when they first enter the Schengen area, which includes all EU countries except Ireland and Cyprus, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Full implementation is expected by 10 April, 2026, with a gradual rollout to prevent long queues.
The electronic system replaces manual passport stamping with digital records linking travel documents to individuals using biometrics. It aims to modernise border management, prevent illegal migration, combat identity fraud, and monitor overstayers.
First-time arrivals must scan their passports, provide fingerprints, and undergo a facial scan. Subsequent trips will only require facial verification. Children under 12 will have their photograph taken. There is no cost for EES registration.
Checks will occur at airports, ports, train terminals, and road border crossings within the Schengen area. At the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel in Folkestone, and London St Pancras, EES registration will be conducted on departure from the UK by French border officials. Passengers will not need to register again until leaving their destination.
The EU expects minimal delays as EES is gradually introduced, with officials able to suspend checks temporarily if queues grow. Freight and coach traffic at Dover and Eurotunnel will face checks from 12 October, with passenger vehicles following later. Eurostar will phase in procedures gradually. The British government advises travellers to allow extra time while the system settles.
EES is a precursor to the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), expected to launch in late 2026. Non-Schengen citizens will need to apply online, provide travel details, pay a €20 fee, and the authorisation will be valid for three years or until passport expiry.
Since April, European visitors to Britain have had to obtain electronic permits before travel.
A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States a...
Iran head coach Amir Ghalenoei has accused World Cup co-host the United States of treating his team "very unfairly", saying logistical restrictions ha...
At least three paramilitary troops and three suspected militants were killed after heavily armed attackers stormed a Rangers security compound in Paki...
"I will be president for only a couple of weeks, and then I will resign," Vucic told supporters at a pro-government rally in the capital, Belgrade....
The death toll in the twin earthquakes which rocked Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 1,430, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Saturday. Ano...
The European Union is facing a strategic problem. It wants influence beyond its borders, but enlargement has become slower, harder and more politically contested. The South Caucasus may be one of the first places where Europe learns how to manage that contradiction.
Romania’s prime minister-designate Adrian Vestea failed to secure parliament’s confidence late on Monday after the far-right opposition withheld support, prolonging a political crisis that could affect the country’s access to European Union funds and weigh on its credit standing.
Russia's defence ministry says its forces have captured the village of Yurkivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to the Interfax news agency. The claim could not be independently verified.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has said he is severing “all contact” with European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, following remarks attributed to her that reportedly compared Israel’s policies toward Palestinians to apartheid-era South Africa.
France said on Saturday it was considering taking reciprocal measures after Burkina Faso broke off diplomatic relations.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
Japan remained on high alert Saturday as Typhoon Mekkhala approached the eastern coast after Typhoon Higos weakened into a tropical depression. Authorities warned of continued heavy rain, flooding, and landslides, according to media reports.
A tanker reported being struck by a projectile in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, Britain's maritime security agency said, after the United States and Iran each launched strikes in the worst escalation since they signed their interim peace deal.
ANEWZ can exclusively report that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to visit Azerbaijan on 1 July.
American technology company Snap has launched its first augmented-reality (AR) glasses for consumers, marking a major push into wearable computing as tech firms race to redefine personal devices in the AI era.
The Canadian government has introduced a digital safety bill that would ban children under the age of 16 from using social media, unless platforms meet specific safety standards.
NASA has named three American astronauts and one Italian astronaut to fly on its Artemis III mission, a major orbital test planned for late next year that will evaluate lunar landing vehicles developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.
China will send an astronaut to its space station on Sunday for a one-year mission, the longest duration for the country so far. The mission will help study long-duration human physiology in space as China works toward a crewed Moon landing by 2030.
Anxiety over artificial intelligence is hardening among young workers as executives promote faster adoption and companies point to automation in fresh job cuts.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment