Aussie travellers warned to expect delays as new European Union travel rules begin
Australian travelers have been warned they may face delays when they arrive at the European border due to the new registration system for non-European Union citizens.
A new digital EU entry/exit system (EES) registers all non-EU citizens entering or exiting the continent’s 29-nation Schengen area.
The phased rollout of the new system began in October last year before being implemented in all 29 countries.
Visitors entering the area for the first time since the system was introduced will be required to have their fingerprints and photographs taken and answer border questions to create a digital record recording biometric details.
Travelers returning to the region within three years only need to present fingerprints or photographs when re-entering or exiting the border, eliminating the need for a passport stamp, but they will still need a valid passport upon entering the region.
“The registration process will only take a few minutes, but you may encounter longer border queues once the system launches,” the Smartraveller website warns.
The new system will allow travelers to move freely between the 29 Schengen countries, eliminating visa requirements for each country and bypassing border controls.
Schengen countries include Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
But visitors have been warned that if they stay longer than permitted they could find themselves detained, deported, fined or prevented from returning to the EU in the future.
A visa may be required if visitors plan to stay longer than 90 days in any 180 days or if travel is for any purpose other than vacation, business, event, medical treatment or transit.
Smartraveller advised that some countries require travelers to register three days before arrival.
A European Commission spokesman said that from April 10, EES will replace passport stamps, allowing overstays to be automatically detected.
“EES contributes to preventing irregular migration and helps protect the security of everyone living in or traveling to Europe,” a spokesman said.
“The system also enables more effective detection of overstayers and those attempting to cross borders using false or counterfeit documents.”
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has warned that the new system continues to cause significant delays for passengers, with queues expected to be four hours or more during the busy summer months.
IATA Senior Vice President of External Affairs Thomas Reynaert said there was a complete disconnect between the EU institutions’ perception that the EES was working well and the reality.
“This means non-EU travelers face major delays and inconvenience,” he said.
“This needs to stop as soon as possible.
“We need to be realistic about what will happen in the summer months when traffic at airports in Europe doubles.” “The rollout of the EES must be flexible to react to operational realities. This is an absolute prerequisite for its success and the preservation of the EU’s reputation as an efficient, welcoming and desirable destination.”
