When it comes to travelling, it seems like rules change all the time, with another passport update having recently been announced. It’s vital to know before you travel anywhere on a plane, as it could just impact how much time you spend at the airport.

Passport holders have been urged to take action if they want to try and cut their time in queues at security. If you’re planning on jetting off soon, or later this summer, there are some things you need to know when travelling to particular countries, and you should be aware of the new rules to ensure you don’t run into any problems.

It’s not the first piece of travel advice to be shared recently either. Last week, people were also encouraged to check their passports for another reason too. 

The changes were recently drawn attention to by Karen Schaler who shared a candid video detailing what people need to know. She said: “If you’re a traveller, your passport isn’t going to be enough to get you into Europe anymore or the UK.

“You’re going to need an EES (Entry/Exit System) to get into 29 European countries. I’m going to start with the EES, because this is happening coming up this spring.

“That’s the headline that everyone will have to do this. They soft-rolled it out last year.”

Karen continued: “You might have heard of it, you might have got it done already, which would be great, but there’s a big warning about what’s going on with this. It happens at the airport.

“It’s nothing that you have to do ahead of time, although there is something you can do ahead of time. I’ll tell you about that at the end, but you can show up at the airport and they’re going to take a picture of your face, and they’re going to take your fingerprints.

“This is for biometrics. This is now required by 29 countries to get into in Europe, meaning your passport isn’t going to be stamped anymore. This is going to be the new way to go.

“It’s going to last about three years. But, again the warning, we’ve heard of lines two to four hours long, so be sure you plan accordingly.

“And, the insider tip, there is an app that you can use to pre-register to help save that big, long line at the airport. Let me know if you want more on that, because there are some ups and downs of that.”

What you need to know 

The Government website issues advice about what people need to know about the scheme. It states: “The European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) started on 12 October 2025.

“This is a new digital border system that has changed requirements for British citizens travelling to the Schengen area. EES checks are being introduced in a phased way for non-EU and UK travellers, with full operation expected from April 2026.”

The countries in the Schengen area are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, so EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries. It continues: “If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area for a short stay using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, when you arrive.

“You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration. After it is fully implemented, EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU, but during the phased implementation border points will also stamp passports.

“EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border once the system starts.” 

Little you may know, there is a Travel to Europe mobile application which has been designed for non-EU travellers who are subject to EES registration. It enables people to pre-register their passport data and facial image ahead of reaching a border crossing point where the EES is in use.

Travellers can also can also fill in the entry conditions questionnaire in advance. It’s reported non-EU nationals can use the app to pre-register their data within 72 hours before entering or leaving a European country.

While it doesn’t replace border checks, it can make border crossing smoother, faster and more efficient. However, people are advised to check the official EU EES website to confirm which countries are currently using the app for entry.