Non-EU travellers heading to Europe this summer should brace for lengthy airport queues as the continent rolls out its new Entry/Exit System (EES). The biometric border programme, which began gradual implementation in October 2025 and is set to be fully operational by 10 April, requires non-EU nationals to register fingerprints and a photo in person at the border. This has already led to significant delays, with border processing times increasing by up to 70% at airports where EES checks are active, according to Airports Council International (ACI).
Travel expert Ash Bhardwaj experienced the delays first-hand when flying to Oslo in February, spending a full hour at passport control on a quiet weekday. Other airports have seen worse: Geneva reported peak waits of three hours earlier this year, while Lisbon Airport suspended the system entirely in December after queues reached five hours or more, causing passengers to miss flights. Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, noted that delays vary widely by destination, time of day and passenger volumes, but warned the situation is expected to worsen as the April deadline approaches and summer travel increases.
To mitigate the impact, Lo Bue-Said recommends non-EU travellers add at least four hours of buffer time to their plans. Those booking connecting flights through busy European hubs should opt for extra-long layovers to reduce the risk of missing connections. Even travellers who have already registered with EES will join the same queue as first-timers, as biometric data remains on file for three years but does not grant priority access.
The European Commission has suggested that border authorities may suspend the system for up to six hours during peak travel times until September to ease congestion, but travellers cannot know this in advance. Bhardwaj also warned of potential technical issues with the kiosks, saying “computers will go down.” Travellers are advised to stay updated with their airline and airport for real-time queue information, and to consider travelling in September when some EES rules may still be suspended and queues are likely shorter.
