EU warns EES border delays could last up to two years

Travellers heading to Europe are being warned to brace for prolonged queues at passport control, as the European Union’s new biometric border regime beds in and published commentary suggests it could take up to two years before processing times return to something resembling normal.

A rocky start for Europe’s biometric border revolution

The EU’s Entry/Exit System, or EES, is reshaping how non-EU nationals are processed at the bloc’s external borders. Fully activated across the Schengen area in April 2026 after years of delays, the system replaces manual passport stamps with a shared database of biometric and biographical records. Each first-time registration now involves scanning fingerprints and capturing a facial image, which are then stored for repeat use on future trips.

Publicly available information from EU institutions describes EES as a cornerstone of a broader digital overhaul that will eventually be paired with the separate European Travel Information and Authorisation System, known as ETIAS. While officials have long argued that this twin architecture is essential for security and for automating checks in the long term, the transition is proving painful on the ground as millions of travellers encounter the new procedures for the first time in peak travel periods.

Reports from airports and ferry ports indicate that border posts built around short face-to-face passport inspections are struggling to absorb the extra time needed for biometric capture and for staff to navigate new software. Industry groups representing European airports and airlines have been flagging bottlenecks since early test phases, warning of sharply higher processing times at landside checkpoints.

In response to mounting congestion, the European Commission has already allowed member states to use built-in flexibilities in the rollout. Guidance published in early May permits border authorities to temporarily suspend some of the most time-consuming EES functions during busy periods, such as full biometric registration for travellers already known to the system, while still keeping the database live.

Warnings that disruption could stretch into 2028

What most concerns travel operators and passengers is the emerging consensus that queues will not ease quickly. Airport and airline associations have cited modelling which suggests that it may take up to two full years before border performance “stabilises,” as a large proportion of regular visitors complete their first EES registration and staff become fully proficient with the technology.

According to trade and policy coverage, this two-year horizon reflects several overlapping factors. First-time registrations take significantly longer than subsequent checks, and short-stay markets such as the United Kingdom, United States and Gulf states send huge numbers of repeat visitors who will have to be enrolled once before they can benefit from faster processing. Second, infrastructure upgrades at ports, rail terminals and regional airports are uneven, with some locations still operating with limited kiosks and cramped pre-boarding halls that make passenger flow management difficult.

Some analyses also highlight ongoing recruitment challenges at national border forces, particularly at land crossings and smaller airports where staffing was already tight. Even where hardware has been installed, lack of trained personnel can turn a single malfunctioning kiosk into a serious choke point. Industry voices argue that, unless staffing and layout issues are addressed aggressively, long queues risk becoming a semi-permanent feature at certain gateways.

For travellers, these projections translate into a prolonged period of uncertainty. Forecasts published by airline bodies have already warned that border waits at some peak weekend departures could stretch to several hours this summer, particularly where coachloads of first-time EES users arrive simultaneously. While such scenarios will not be universal, the overall expectation is that 2026 and 2027 will be characterised by periodic spikes in disruption rather than a smooth, rapid stabilisation.

Key pinch points: UK routes, ferries and rail hubs

The new system’s impact is being felt most acutely at locations where non-EU passengers are processed in large volumes within tight physical constraints. Travel industry coverage repeatedly points to ports serving the United Kingdom, such as ferry terminals and Channel rail hubs, as among the most vulnerable. Post-Brexit, British holidaymakers and business travellers are treated as third-country nationals, meaning almost all must undergo full biometric enrolment on their first EES encounter.

Operators at Channel ports and at the land border controls embedded in UK rail stations have warned that they face a fundamental space problem. Many facilities were designed for quick document checks at booths, not for multiple biometric kiosks plus holding areas where passengers can queue indoors without blocking vehicle lanes or concourses. Local reports have already described trial days where extra checks produced long tailbacks for car traffic and extended dwell times for foot passengers.

Airports that rely heavily on leisure traffic from non-EU markets, especially around the Mediterranean, are also under scrutiny. Carriers serving sun destinations have urged customers to arrive earlier than they were used to before, with some airlines building longer minimum connection times into their schedules to hedge against delays at border control. While major hubs tend to have more room and resources to add kiosks, secondary airports popular with seasonal charters may struggle to adapt quickly.

Rail operators are quietly recalibrating too. Cross-border high-speed services that pre-clear passengers before boarding face a delicate balancing act between maintaining punctual departures and allowing enough time for EES checks. Industry commentary suggests that, during the first year of full implementation, some services may run with more empty seats simply to keep queues manageable in constrained terminal areas.

ETIAS delay offers partial reprieve but more change ahead

While EES is now live, the EU has again pushed back the start of ETIAS, the electronic travel authorisation that will apply to visa-exempt visitors, including most North American travellers. Updated timelines from EU channels and specialist travel outlets now signal that ETIAS will begin only in the last quarter of 2026 or later, following earlier postponements from 2024 and 2025.

This delay means that, for at least the 2026 summer season, most long-haul visitors will not yet need to secure pre-travel clearance or pay the associated fee. For many, the only visible change at the border will be the new biometric kiosks and the end of ink passport stamps. Some analysts frame this as an intentional sequencing decision, giving border posts time to work through the initial EES surge before adding another layer of checks at the airline check-in and boarding stages.

However, the breathing space is limited. Once ETIAS goes live, carriers will be responsible for verifying that passengers have valid travel authorisation before allowing them to board flights or ferries to the Schengen area. Industry groups warn that any teething problems in ETIAS issuance or in the data links between airline systems and EU databases could generate an additional wave of disruption on top of lingering EES issues, particularly if the two systems’ rollout phases overlap during peak travel months.

Specialist commentators are therefore urging both travellers and the industry to view 2026 and 2027 as a transitional window rather than a return to business as usual. Even if border queues gradually improve as more people become repeat users in the EES database, the arrival of ETIAS and other digital travel tools will keep Europe’s frontiers in a state of flux for several more seasons.

What travellers can realistically expect in the next two years

For leisure and business travellers planning trips to Europe, the emerging picture is one of adaptation rather than alarm. Most journeys are still being completed without major drama, but unpredictability at border control is becoming another factor to plan around alongside airline punctuality and baggage handling. Travel advisories now commonly recommend allowing extra time for passport control, especially for those entering Schengen for the first time since EES went live.

Seasoned observers predict a gradual learning curve on both sides of the glass. Border staff will refine queueing strategies, tweak kiosk configurations and identify which passenger flows benefit most from early diversion to manual lanes. Travellers, in turn, will become more familiar with the process of using self-service terminals, preparing passports and removing items like hats or glasses quickly to help biometric capture.

Nonetheless, the two-year stabilisation window being discussed in policy and industry circles suggests that 2028 is a more realistic horizon for a fully bedded-in system. Until then, congestion is likely to remain uneven, flaring at specific bottlenecks and holiday peaks rather than presenting as a uniform problem across the continent. In practical terms, that means some airports and ports will develop reputations for smoother EES handling, while others may continue to feature prominently in anecdotal accounts of missed flights and long queues.

For now, the main message for travellers is to stay informed and build in a buffer. Europe’s new border architecture is here to stay, and while it promises faster, more automated processing in the long run, the coming seasons are set to test the patience of passengers and border agencies alike before the promised efficiencies are fully realised.