fifth October 2025
The Entry/Exit System, EES, will start to be rolled out on Saturday twelfth October. It’ll have implications for the overwhelming majority of UK skiers & snowboarders throughout the approaching winter season. NEW
The brand new digital border system will change necessities for British residents travelling to the Schengen space.
The ski international locations within the Schengen space are:
Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
The ski nation of Andorra is just not within the Schengen space, however it is just accessible from France and Spain which can be in Schengen.
We’ve lined the problem lately on PlanetSKI because the date approached:
There are considerations that there shall be lengthy delays, however we is not going to know till the system begins so the very first thing individuals have to know are the info.
“In case you are travelling to a rustic within the Schengen space for a brief keep utilizing a UK passport, you may be required to register your biometric particulars, reminiscent of fingerprints and a photograph, once you arrive.
You don’t want to take any motion earlier than you arrive on the border, and there’s no value for EES registration.
After it’s absolutely applied, EES registration will change the present system of manually stamping passports when guests arrive within the EU.
EES could take every passenger just a few further minutes to finish so be ready to attend longer than normal on the border as soon as the system begins.
In case you are travelling to the Schengen space
When EES is launched, it’s possible you’ll have to create a digital report in your first go to to the Schengen space on the port or airport on arrival.
You will want to submit your fingerprints and have your photograph taken at devoted cubicles.
You’ll not want to offer any data earlier than travelling to a Schengen space nation.
In case you are flying to a rustic within the Schengen space, you’ll full EES checks once you arrive at your vacation spot.
The checks could take a couple of minutes, so be ready to attend throughout busy instances.
When you enter the Schengen space by means of the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone or St Pancras Worldwide, EES checks shall be accomplished on the border, earlier than you permit the UK.
You may additionally want to offer both your fingerprint or photograph once you go away the Schengen space.
When you often journey to the Schengen space for work and/or leisure functions, you need to make sure that your whole keep within the Schengen space is not more than 90 days in each 180 days.
You will need to pay attention to the penalty and enforcement strategy for exceeding the immigration restrict in any particular person Member State you intend to journey to, or by means of.
Your digital EES report is legitimate for 3 years.
When you enter the Schengen space once more throughout this time, you’ll solely want to offer a fingerprint or photograph on the border, once you enter and exit.
Why the EU is introducing EES
EES is designed to enhance border safety inside the EU and its neighbouring international locations, and cut back unlawful migration within the Schengen space.
It’ll automate border management checks to assist the EU cease guests overstaying.
EES is a part of wider work the EU is doing to strengthen their border safety.
Within the 2026, the EU is anticipated to begin operations of the brand new European Journey Data and Authorisation System (ETIAS).
No motion is required from travellers at this level.
The European Union will announce the the precise date for the beginning of ETIAS earlier than its launch.
When ETIAS is launched, you have to to use for authorisation to enter Schengen space international locations if utilizing a UK passport.
You will want to offer private data and particulars about your journey, and pay a 20 Euro price, as a part of the authorisation course of.
The EU has already set out extra data on ETIAS, together with what data shall be required from every nationality, on the EU’s official Journey Europe web site.
How EES will have an effect on travelling to the Schengen space
The UK authorities has been working intently with the European Fee, Member States, native authorities and the journey business to organize ports for EES.
The federal government is supporting ports and carriers to make sure EES registration is easy for individuals travelling to the Schengen space.
UK authorities assist contains offering Eurostar, Eurotunnel and Port of Dover with £3.5 million every, to spend on registration kiosks and infrastructure.
UK and non-EU travellers utilizing Eurostar from London St Pancras Worldwide might want to use self-service pre-registration kiosks, which shall be situated in three areas of the station, earlier than going by means of the ticket gates.
UK and non-EU travellers utilizing Eurotunnel at Folkestone shall be directed to a purpose-built pre-registration space to make use of self-service pre-registration kiosks, earlier than persevering with to embark on their journey.
UK and non-EU travellers utilizing ferry companies from the Port of Dover shall be registered with both kiosks on the purpose-built Western Docks processing space or a mixture of brokers and tablets, relying on their car, earlier than being directed to the ferry terminal.
UK and non-EU travellers getting into the Schengen space by air or by ferry companies departing from ports aside from Port of Dover shall be registered on the border on arrival of their vacation spot nation.
In all areas, travellers ought to comply with instructions from their journey operator, and port, or airport and make border employees conscious in the event that they anticipate any points finishing biometric checks.
Travelling by ship cruises
Sailings that begin and end their journey outdoors of the Schengen space (for instance, at a UK port) will usually be exempt from EES checks, together with for any day journeys into the Schengen space which can be a part of their itinerary.
Travellers who disembark a cruise inside the Schengen space, and journey on to an additional vacation spot, together with an alternate port, by different means, might want to full EES checks when leaving the ship.
Any travellers boarding a cruise inside the Schengen space might want to full EES checks at their preliminary entry level port of entry to the Schengen space.
Exemptions to EES
Some UK nationals are exempt from EES.
The total record of exemptions is out there on the EU’s official Journey Europe web site.
These travellers shouldn’t register for EES.
As an alternative, upon arrival on the border, they need to current their exempting documentation to a border guard.
If for any cause an EES report is created for them, this could retrospectively be deleted.
Usually, this may be completed on the border by a border guard, or by the related authorities inside the Schengen space.
In some circumstances, EES information could also be deleted mechanically, e.g. the place the traveller has been granted a residence allow after getting into the Schengen space.”
Discover out extra data on the EU’s Entry/Exit System on the EU’s official Journey Europe web site.
EES gear. Picture c/o PlanetSKI
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