The UK Foreign Office has revised its guidance for British passport holders travelling to Europe after the rollout of the new EU Entry/Exit System (EES). The system, now operational across the Schengen Area, requires non-EU passport holders to have their entry and exit recorded electronically instead of receiving passport stamps.
How the new system works
The Schengen Area includes all EU countries except Ireland and Cyprus. Under the rules, British citizens can spend 90 out of every 180 days in the EU. Staying beyond this limit can result in a fine or even a travel ban, with fines potentially exceeding £8,000 in some cases.
The EES rollout has proved controversial, with some European airports experiencing significant delays and queues. In response, the system has been suspended at certain airports, meaning some Brits have not been recorded as leaving the Schengen Area.
FCDO advice for affected travellers
In light of these issues, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its advice. It now states that those who believe they have been incorrectly entered into EES or whose record of time spent in the Schengen area is incorrect should "approach border officials when you next cross the Schengen border and request a correction."
The updated advice reads: "If you are exempt, carry documentation confirming your status. If you believe your time spent in the Schengen area has been recorded incorrectly, raise this with border officials and be prepared to provide supporting evidence if requested."
Traveller experiences and impact
Some Brits have reported issues at border control due to the EES. One traveller told The Sun they were stopped at the border in Finland because their record showed they were still in Italy. "While I had registered with EES going into Rome, it hadn’t recorded me leaving," they said. "After a lot of back and forth with border control officers and around 45-minutes of waiting, it was recognised as an error and I was let into the country."
According to numbers made available by the UK Government in 2025, around 50 million people travel from the UK to Europe annually, with popular countries including Spain, France and Portugal.
