Archive · 19 Jul 2026
Europe's New Entry Exit System Triples Passport Control Time
Europe has a new system called the Entry Exit System (EES) that is making it take much longer for people to go through passport control.
This system is for people who are not from Europe and are visiting countries in the Schengen Area.
The system takes pictures and fingerprints of travelers, which is causing long lines and delays.
Some airports, like the one in Rome, say it now takes about 20 minutes to go through passport control instead of 7 minutes before.
Some people had to wait for hours, and some even missed their flights.
The European Commission says the delays are not too bad, but airports are asking for changes to make the process faster.
Some airports are adding more workers to help with the lines, and the system is getting better, but it's still causing problems for travelers.
Europe's new Entry Exit System (EES) is causing significant delays in passport control for non-EU travelers, particularly UK travelers.
At Rome's Fiumicino Airport, the average time to clear border checks has increased from 7 minutes to around 20 minutes.
Travellers have reported waiting times of up to two hours, with some missing flights or transportation due to the delays.
Airports like Rome and Faro have acknowledged technical issues and longer processing times, although improvements are being made.
The European Commission maintains that disruption is limited and continues to support the implementation of the new system.
- Who
- Non-EU citizens traveling to the Schengen Area, particularly UK travelers
- What
- Implementation of the European Union's new Entry Exit System (EES)
- When
- Phased in since October, with ongoing issues in July 2026
- Where
- Various airports in Europe, including Rome's Fiumicino and Portugal's Faro
- Why
- The new system requires registration of fingerprints and photographs, causing delays in passport control
- System
- Entry Exit System (EES)
- Affected Area
- Schengen Area (29 European countries)
- Impacted Travelers
- Non-EU citizens
- Average Time Increase
- From 7 minutes to 20 minutes (Rome's Fiumicino Airport)
- Technical Issues
- Server problems and malfunctioning machines
- Airport Response
- Additional border officers and system improvements
- European Commission Stance
- Limited disruption, ongoing support for implementation