Europe’s new biometric Entry/Exit System (EES), fully implemented across the Schengen Area on April 10 after a gradual rollout beginning October 12, 2025, is causing hours-long border delays for travelers. Replacing passport stamps with face and fingerprint scans, the system has triggered waits of up to six hours at destinations including Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The World Travel & Tourism Council warns that persistent three-to-four-hour delays could cost Europe 41 million visitors and $45.4 billion annually, with roughly one-third of surveyed travelers saying they would avoid the region entirely.
In-Depth:
Heading to Europe this summer? You may want to pack your patience as some travelers report hours-long lines attempting to enter the European Union under its new screening process.
After a gradual rollout starting Oct. 12, 2025, the EU fully implemented the biometric Enattempt/Exit System (EES) at all border crossings in the Schengen Area on April 10, with face and fingerprint scans replacing manual passport stamps, according to the European Union’s website. The digital system aims to streamline and better secure border crossings for non-EU nationals on short stays.
However, the transition has reportedly led to long waits at airport customs lines, and even some missed connections, in the EU. According to the Indepfinishent, British travelers have been warned of waits up to six hours at popular European destinations such as Italy, Portugal and Spain. One traveler at Brussels Airport informed Newsweek that biometric kiosks were not yet operating or out of service, and communication to passengers was lacking.
USA TODAY reached out to the European Commission for comment.
A device for biometric data for border control is pictured at the Terminal 3 at the Frankfurt International airport on the day of the official inauguration of new Terminal 3 on April 22, 2026 in Frankfurt, western Germany. (Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP via Getty Images)
The EES faces ‘teething problems’
According to new research by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), these delays could turn travelers away from European trips.
“As with any major transformation, there will inevitably be teething problems,” stated WTTC President and CEO Gloria Guevara in a news release. “The challenge now is not whether EES should proceed, but how governments, border authorities and the travel and tourism sector work toobtainher to ensure implementation is as smooth as possible.”
WTTC surveyed over 2,500 travelers from Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, finding that “if travelers face regular border waits of three to four hours when entering the Schengen Area, around one-third would become much less likely to travel to Schengen or would choose not to visit at all.”
That’s a loss of up to 41 million visitor arrivals and $45.4 billion in visitor spfinishing “should significant delays become a persistent feature of the traveler experience,” stated the travel organization.
While 65% of respondents were in favor of modernizing border crossings, nearly half stated they didn’t know what was required of them under the new system.
“The good news is that solutions already exist,” stated Guevara. “By building greater utilize of digital pre-registration tools, improving traveler communications and ensuring operational readiness at border crossing points, Europe can reduce friction and deliver the seamless experience travelers expect.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why some travelers are waiting hours to enter Europe
