EU’s new digital border is officially rolled out today – but British tourists face ‘hours and hours’ in queues because airports are still ‘not ready’

Tourists are reporting chaotic scenes and long delays at airports across Europe today as new digital border controls officially come into force; Exasperated travelers say they have been forced to wait ‘for hours’ at terminals to clear immigration, including in Lisbon, Milan and Paris.

The new Entry/Exit System, known as EES, has been slowly rolled out across Europe since October and is now available in 29 countries. introduction of new biometric border control processHowever, according to experts, many countries are still ‘not ready’.

Two passengers were among those who faced a long wait at passport control at Lisbon Airport this morning. Former UK and EU diplomat Rupert Joy said the new system was in disarray at the main transport hub of the Portuguese capital.

He wrote on social media platform X: ‘Complete chaos at Lisbon airport. Due to incredibly long queues for passport control, many people miss their flights despite arriving hours in advance. ‘No one seems to be in control or have any idea what to do.’

Another traveler experienced a similar scenario, writing: ‘The machines being at the head of the queue before going through passport control caused a huge queue when leaving Lisbon.’

In Paris, a parent traveling with her child and believed to be at Charles de Gaulle airport wrote: ‘Absolutely ridiculous queue for passport control. EU passport with a child under 12, I’ve been waiting in the queue for over two hours and there are still at least a hundred people ahead of me.’

A similar scenario occurred at Milan’s Malpensa Airport. ‘Two hours after landing and still an hour to go until I finish passport control. Well done. ‘Nice try,’ another late passenger fumed.

Under the new rules, all non-EU persons, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area must record biometric details, including fingerprints and photographs.

Under the new rules, all non-EU persons, including UK citizens, entering the Schengen Area must record biometric details, including fingerprints and photographs.

They will also need to provide proof of accommodation, sufficient funds, health insurance and a return ticket.

As millions of people travel as the Easter holidays continue, tourists are being warned to wait up to two to three more hours to pass through passport control due to possible technical glitches.

As airports across Europe struggle with new technology, passengers still face long queues at airports – despite the EES digital border system having been in place for six months – (Image: Queues at Heathrow Airport Terminal 2 filmed earlier this month)

Those traveling to Europe by ferry or Eurotunnel LeShuttle will see the brand new EES machines on site, but will not be asked to use them this weekend because computer systems in France can only partially use the technology. Bus passengers and truck drivers will need to submit their data.

Eurostar still uses traditional in-person passport control at St Pancras in London, and the new EES system is not yet fully operational.

Travel expert Simon Calder said of the current situation at UK ports: ‘If you’re at the Eurostar terminal in London’s St Pancras, you’ll see rows and rows of these amazing entry and exit system kiosks doing nothing.

‘We had to go to 100 percent entry and exit registration today. We will see that no one uses these machines because the system is not working properly.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of travel business network The Advantage Travel, speaks to the BBC Breakfast This morning we were told that despite a six-month rollout, the EES has been plagued with problems since its introduction in the autumn.

He told the programme: ‘The reality is that over that period we saw a lot of IT failures, a lot of problems, queues at some destinations.

At ferry terminals, only bus passengers and truck drivers are currently asked to use EES machines; because French computer systems are not yet fully ready

‘We have also seen that some airports have had to shut down the use of kiosks entirely due to passengers waiting for hours.’

While authorities at individual airports may decide to temporarily revert to old-style checks during implementation, this will not be an option anytime soon; Experts warn that passengers traveling during the summer months may face delays.

British tourist Jack Howes told the Daily Mail how a recent trip to Spain was a ‘disaster’ after EES blocked his travels at Almeria Airport.

He said: ‘An assistant said to me: “This sucks but you have to keep trying.”

After being rejected by the machine four times, Jack was told to go to manual checkout instead, but there was no one working the manual desk.

‘So I finally went to the door and it still let me through,’ he said.

Another traveler shared his experience on X, writing: ‘Damn, the new EES passport system is a nightmare.

‘Two hours when we arrived in Krakow. 90 minutes until departure. If you’re traveling in Europe, give yourself plenty of time.’

Another person on the social media platform even said that they were re-evaluating their plans due to the new process.

They wrote: ‘I’m rethinking my holiday/travel plans for this year and next year as I’m going to Prague and Krakow this month.

‘The European entry/exit system (EES) was a nightmare for both entry and exit. Despite the best efforts of the excellent staff at both airports. ‘In line for hours.’

Under post-Brexit rules, Britons who do not have the right to work or reside in the EU can only stay for 90 days in any 180-day period.

EES will also automatically flag arrivals at risk of overstaying. It will be fully implemented at airports across Europe by April 10, and all third-country nationals will need to register from today.

Airports Council International said earlier this month that the latest data collected from airports across Europe showed a ‘continued deterioration in waiting times at border crossing points’ where ESS was introduced.

The report stated that delays ‘regularly reached up to two hours during rush hour, with longer queues reported at some airports’.

The trade body had previously warned that centers in Germany, France, Iceland, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal were particularly affected.

Last week, Ryanair’s boss accused the EU of punishing British holidaymakers for Brexit by making them queue for hours at passport control.

CEO Michael O’Leary, who favored remaining in the EU in the referendum, claimed the bloc was ‘undoubtedly’ forcing Britons to wait longer at airports as the price of leaving the EU in 2020.

Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary (above) accused the EU of punishing British holidaymakers over Brexit by making them queue for hours at passport control

Mr O’Leary said there had been ‘significant disruption’ to passport control since the new system was introduced in October last year.

The system is being introduced in phases and is expected to be fully operational from April 2026, but has already caused backlogs and increased waiting times for passengers.

‘We are starting to see significant disruption. That’s the next big problem. The EES is a complete spectacle and a shambles,” Ryanair’s CEO told The Times.

Explaining that any EU state could postpone the implementation of the EES for five months until the end of September, he said it would be ‘much more logical’ to do so to prevent the situation from worsening during the summer holidays.

‘There’s a bit of Brexit in this too. You voted for Brexit here; “Get in the queue,” he said.

Mr O’Leary added that immigration kiosks were understaffed and that travelers who had already registered under the new system were also queued with everyone else.

He warned that smaller airports such as Seville, Alicante, Tenerife and Faro would be hardest hit by delays.