EES (Entry/Exit System) for most EU countries

TELLIT01

The main guide to how long it will take to get through the system seems to be the number of non-EU flights arriving in a short period.  If you check the Prague airport website arrivals board 14 days/7 days before your flight it will at least give an indication of what to expect.

I'm guessing also that March will be a comparatively quiet time of year, which will potentially help.

One alternative would be to get an Uber at the airport.

jimi_man

We've just been to Athens and back. No registration at all, just the normal arrival procedure with a stamp and same with departure.

There were machines there but not ready to be used yet.

Shame really as I'm running out of pages!

TELLIT01

Why am I not surprised that a Greek airport hasn't implemented a system which is supposed 100% in use within 3 months.  I can see Greek airports still stamping passports, with no photos or fingerprints in 12 months time.

That's not a criticism, simply another example of the Greek attitude towards pointless beaurocracy.

TheShape

A brief update for anyone following the roll-out of EES.

Have just travelled to/from Copenhagen airport 29/01/2026 to 01/02/2026 and I did not see any implementation of EES.

There was an area that had been sectioned off near passport control which may potentially be for machines.

Slinky

Anybody with experience of flying into Barcelona? We're going at the end of March. I've just got a new passport, OH's has 18 months still to run.

I'm wondering if we should renew his passport now, otherwise he's going to have to renew his registration the next time we travel after he gets his new passport 18 months away, then I'll have to do mine 18 months later. Way too much aggro. Dread to think what that would be like for a family with several children, whose passports all run out at different times, so their 3 year EES registrations will run out at different times

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81871427#Comment_81871427

You still have to go to the kiosks regardless is my understanding, merely the amount of info asked for is dependent on the last time you did it or if you have a new passport. That is my understanding, anyway.

Grumpy_chap

Well, the BBC is reporting today that there are expectations of excessively long delays:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cn0k699pxwzo

Now, frankly, for any Governmental organisation to see that something will cause long delays and simply shrug and then carry on regardless amounts to incompetence in my mind.

For my part, I'm fed up with the increasing delays to travel to EU. We've already had one flight since Brexit where the queues for passport control on exit were so long we missed the plane. Last trip had the absurd scenario of going through e-gates and then having to queue again to get a stamp.

If we are not welcome to holiday in EU, then I really am thinking to just take our summer sun trip somewhere alternative. Turkey, former Yugoslavia countries, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Cyprus all spring to mind as potentials.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81872235#Comment_81872235

Cyprus is in the EU….

Well, the main bit of it is anyway

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81872895#Comment_81872895

But not in Shengen / EES area.

I think I am quote keen on a week in Albania.

la531983

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81872901#Comment_81872901

Yes thats somewhere I keep looking at, a few countries round that region I fancy ticking off.