New EU border checks start this weekend – here’s what to know
British passport holders and other “third-country nationals” will start using the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) from Sunday 12 October 2025.
The digital border scheme connects every external frontier crossing point in the Schengen area – which includes all EU nations except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland – to a central database.
It aims to enforce the 90-day stay rule for non-EU visitors and improve border security by registering biometric data when travellers enter or leave the area.
Simon Calder, travel correspondent for The Independent, explained: “The long-awaited entry-exit system connects every frontier crossing point in the Schengen area with a central database. It aims to crack down on crime and enforce the 90-day stay limit, which applies to British travellers and other third-country nationals.”
When a traveller first encounters the system, their photo and fingerprints will be recorded alongside passport details to create a digital record. On future trips, facial recognition will verify their identity automatically. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprint checks.
Most travellers will use self-service kiosks at border points, placing their passport in a reader and following on-screen instructions. At some crossings, checks may still be done face-to-face with a border guard.
Calder said: “On the first occasion on which the traveller comes into contact with the system, it will create a digital record: registering their face and fingerprints, along with personal data from their passport.”
The rollout begins gradually and will last 180 days, until 9 April 2026. Germany, Spain and France are among the first countries to implement the system, starting with selected airports such as Düsseldorf and Madrid-Barajas.
Spain has said: “During the six-month trial period for the EU EES, it will be implemented gradually at Spanish border crossings, first at airports, then at land borders, and finally at sea borders.”
The Czech Republic, Estonia and Luxembourg are the only countries identified as fully ready from day one.
For most British travellers, existing passport checks will continue alongside EES for the first six months, and no pre-registration is needed before travel.
Calder added: “For the first six months, the old-style analogue business of checking and stamping passports will continue as normal – but you may be asked for biometrics too.”
The new record remains valid for three years from the most recent crossing. Each new visit renews that validity period automatically.
The UK government has confirmed that EES will not make travel insurance mandatory, though kiosks in some terminals, such as London St Pancras, may ask about medical cover as part of their standard questions.
The Home Office said: “Medical insurance will not be a mandatory requirement for UK citizens travelling to the EU under EES. However, we strongly recommend that all passengers purchase comprehensive travel insurance, including medical cover, before travelling abroad.”
Cruise passengers whose voyages start and finish in the UK are exempt from the system, but those joining or leaving ships in EU ports will need to go through EES checks.
According to the Home Office: “Sailings that start and finish their journey outside of the Schengen area (for example, at a UK port) will generally be exempt from EES checks, including for any day trips into the Schengen area that are part of their itinerary.”
Travellers also warned over fake ETIAS websites
Alongside EES, the EU is preparing to launch a separate scheme called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) in 2026. This will require visa-exempt visitors, including most UK citizens, to apply online before travel.
ABTA, the Association of British Travel Agents, has warned of more than 60 unofficial websites already claiming to sell ETIAS applications, even though the system is not yet open.
ABTA said: “There are currently more than 60 unofficial websites offering ETIAS, despite the system not yet being live. Don’t use an unofficial website: there’s the risk that you will be overcharged, that you won’t get an ETIAS and that your personal information could be stolen.”
When ETIAS is officially launched, the only legitimate application site will be https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias
. Travellers are advised to wait until the official portal is active and to ignore any third-party offers online.
New British passports to feature His Majesty’s Coat of Arms
Separately, the Home Office has announced that the first British passports featuring His Majesty King Charles III’s Coat of Arms will be issued from December 2025.
The new design represents all four nations of the UK through images of UNESCO-protected natural landscapes: Ben Nevis, the Lake District, Three Cliffs Bay and the Giant’s Causeway.
According to the Home Office, the updated passport includes new holographic and translucent features, making it the most secure British passport ever produced.
Migration and Citizenship Minister Mike Tapp said: “The introduction of His Majesty’s Arms, iconic landscapes, and enhanced security features marks a new era in the history of the British passport. It also demonstrates our commitment to outstanding public service – celebrating British heritage while ensuring our passports remain among the most secure and trusted in the world for years to come.”
Passports bearing the Coat of Arms of Queen Elizabeth II will remain valid until their expiry date.
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