British passport holders heading to Greece this summer are now exempt from new EU biometric requirements. The move by Athens is aimed at easing travel for UK tourists, who are among the most frequent visitors to Greek islands such as Corfu, Crete and Rhodes.
The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), which became fully operational on April 10, requires all non-EU travellers to be photographed and fingerprinted at border points. Aviation bodies had warned of delays of up to four hours at airports as a result.
Eleni Skarveli, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, said the exemption would 'ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece' and cut waiting times. Some industry observers believe other Mediterranean countries may follow Greece's lead to avoid chaos during the peak season.
However, travellers to other EU nations could still face significant delays. Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at ABTA, the travel association, advised passengers to 'prepare for delays with extra water and snacks.' Queues of up to two hours have already been reported since the EES began rolling out last year, and airline groups warn these could double to four hours as summer traffic increases.
Concerns remain over IT glitches, strikes and staff shortages during holiday periods. The EES replaces physical passport stamps with a digital system that stores biometric data—including fingerprints and facial images—for third-country nationals like UK citizens. Data is recorded on first entry and verified on subsequent visits, which could speed up future crossings.
