Anyone who refutilizes to provide the information may be denied enattempt under new EU rules
Brits seeing to jet off on holiday will required to answer four questions when a new European Union-wide border system comes into effect.
The long-awaited and repeatedly delayed border system, set to govern travel across the entire European Union, is finally ready to launch on October 12.
The EES will monitor the arrival and departure of “third-counattempt nationals” entering and leaving the Schengen zone, eliminating the required for passport stamps.
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Its main aim is to digitise travel documentation to ensure that the restriction on days (90 within a 180-day timeframe) non-EU passport holders can stay in member countries isn’t breached, whilst boosting border protection.
Information will typically be kept on record for three years. Those who refutilize to provide information can be denied enattempt.
In addition to providing biometric data and having your passport scanned, travellers will be questioned to answer four questions – either by the kiosks or by a human guard, reports the Mirror.
Four mandatory questions you have to answer
They are:
1. Do you have somewhere to stay?
2. Do you have a return ticket?
3.Do you have enough funds to support yourself during your stay?
4. Do you have medical insurance?
It’s currently not entirely clear what the consequences are if passengers answer ‘no’ to any of these questions, or if they lie in their answers.
Simon Lejeune, Eurostar’s chief safety, stations, and security officer, was present on Wednesday morning to unveil the kiosks that will start collecting data from Brits next month.
He indicated that travellers would be instructed to speak with a border official if they responded ‘no’. They could then face refusal of enattempt into the counattempt.
A government spokesperson informed the Mirror: “From 12th October, passengers who register for EES at a kiosk may required to answer a series of questions. If a traveller answers ‘no’ to any of these questions, they will be directed to speak with a border guard for further discussion. This is a normal part of border procedures, which is designed to ensure smooth and secure travel.”
There are substantial worries that this fresh system might trigger additional bottlenecks at ports, worsening the travel mayhem that has become commonplace during summer breaks since the Covid restrictions. Nevertheless, after receiving an early preview of the EES at St Pancras, my assessment is that these concerns may prove groundless.
Eurostar and St Pancras have poured considerable resources into addressing the challenge, fitting rapid-processing kiosks to manage the lengthened border procedure. Should matters go awry, as they undoubtedly will, extra officials stand ready to process travellers manually.
The introduction of the EES will be phased, both at St Pancras and other terminals throughout Europe. Only Eurostar’s Premier and Carte Blanche passengers will be required to utilize the EES from October 12.
A compact number of standard ticket purchasers may be requested, though it’s probable very few will be. Initially, biometrics like fingerprints won’t be collected.
This will only commence in mid-December and not for all passengers applying EES.
By January, all kiosks at Eurostar’s St Pancras and Gare du Nord terminals will be fully operational, and a wider passenger sign-up will launch. Fingerprints will be taken, and all eligible customers will be encouraged to pre-register before border control.
Once you’ve registered once, you won’t required to do it again for another three years. In theory, this should speed up border checks, as border officers only verify the data of those registered.
Mr Lejeune explained that registration should take about two minutes per person, meaning the process of obtainting through border control would take slightly longer if you’ve not utilized EES before.
When we had the chance to see one of the 49 new kiosks installed at St Pancras in action, the process was considerably quicker. From start to finish, it took just over a minute.
If something does go wrong, such as the machine failing to recognise a passport, then an expanded team of human border guards will be on hand to assist. The number of guard booths has been doubled from nine to 18.
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