Travellers entering Europe face stricter implementation of the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) from Sunday, September 6, as temporary measures allowing countries to suspend biometric checks during periods of severe congestion come to an end.
The change comes after a summer of concerns over long queues at major European airports, with industry groups warning that border delays could increase again as passenger numbers rise.
Less flexibility at European borders
The EES became fully operational across participating European borders on April 10, 2026, following a phased rollout that began in October 2025.
The system replaces traditional passport stamping for eligible non EU travellers with digital registration of entries and exits. Travellers are required to provide biometric information, including fingerprints and a facial image, when registering with the system.
During the transition, EU countries were given an important safety valve. Border authorities could temporarily suspend biometric collection at individual border crossing points when passenger numbers became so high that waiting times reached excessive levels.
That flexibility expires on September 6.
As a result, airports and border authorities will have fewer options to ease biometric requirements when passport control areas become overwhelmed.
At a European Commission briefing on September 1, a spokesperson said the EES had “broadly worked well” during the summer, while stressing that the benefits of the new system were clear.
Regarding the end of the temporary measures, the Commission said it remained in close contact with the member states where adjustments were still needed at specific border crossings.
The Commission also said there was a “strong joint will” among participating countries to ensure the system works effectively everywhere.
For travellers, however, the transition could mean longer journeys through European airports and land borders.
Jürgen Himmelmann, co founder and CEO of Global Work & Travel, has advised passengers to allow considerably more time when travelling through European border controls.
He warned that simply arriving at an airport several hours early may not solve the problem, particularly when bag drop facilities are not yet open and passengers cannot bypass passport control queues when their flights are boarding.
He also advised travellers against relying on minimum connection times in the coming weeks, warning that a border delay of an hour or more could quickly turn an apparently comfortable connection into a difficult one.
Airlines and travel groups fear renewed delays
The end of the temporary flexibility has prompted renewed warnings from the travel industry.
Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs at UK travel association ABTA, said the organisation continues to call on the European Commission to extend the measures because EES has not yet reached a fully consistent level of operation across all participating countries.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has also called for the temporary “safety valve” to remain available.
According to IATA, passport checks that previously took around 20 to 25 seconds can now take approximately 90 seconds under the EES process.
Data from the Financial Times and travel analytics company Qsensor has highlighted significant increases in waiting times at several major European hubs.
At Frankfurt Airport, average waiting times reached around 120 minutes in July, compared with 60 minutes during the same month a year earlier.
At Munich, reported waits increased to as much as 60 minutes, compared with 31 minutes the previous year. At Amsterdam Schiphol, maximum waiting times increased from around 80 minutes to 120 minutes.
IATA Senior Vice President for External Affairs Thomas Reynaert has called for the temporary flexibility to be extended through the winter season.
IATA says it fully supports the EES but argues that reliable systems, fully operational self service kiosks, automated border controls and sufficient staffing should be in place before the emergency measures are withdrawn.
What travellers should expect
For non EU travellers entering countries participating in the EES, biometric registration is becoming a standard part of border processing.
Travellers should therefore:
- Allow extra time for passport control, particularly at busy airports.
- Avoid relying on minimum connection times when possible.
- Expect possible delays during peak travel periods.
- Follow instructions from border officials and use self service systems where available.
- Check their airline’s recommended airport arrival time before travelling.
The end of the emergency flexibility does not mean that the EES itself is new. Rather, it marks the end of a temporary measure that allowed border authorities greater discretion when biometric processing caused severe congestion.
With the busy autumn and winter travel seasons approaching, European airports and border authorities now face pressure to ensure the system can handle large passenger volumes without creating widespread delays.
