People travelling to Greece will be required to provide their biometric details at the border controls from October 12, as the European Union’s Entry/Exit System comes into force
Millions of Brits jetting off to Greece will soon face a new airport experience, following the introduction of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System from October 12.
When popping into and out of the Schengen area for short stays, you may need to have your fingerprints taken and pose for a photo in addition to answering the Schengen Border Code questions. Greece, along with 28 other countries, is a member of the Schengen Area, which allows over 450 million people to roam freely between member countries without the hassle of border controls.
Every day, around 3.5 million individuals cross internal borders for work, study or to catch up with family and friends, while nearly 1.7 million people live in one Schengen country but work in another.
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According to the European Council of the European Union, Europeans make an estimated 1.25 billion journeys within the Schengen area every year. This new digital border system will alter the requirements for British citizens travelling to many countries.
If you’re heading to a country in the Schengen area for a short stay using a UK passport, you’ll be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo, upon arrival, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The government has issued a warning that when you’re flying to a country in the Schengen area, you may face longer queue times when you arrive at your destination.
Your digital EES record will be valid for a span of 3 years. During this period, if you venture into the Schengen area again, all you’ll need to do is provide a fingerprint or photo at the border when you enter and exit. All your entries, exits, or any entry refusals will be electronically logged in the EES. The EES system is anticipated to make travel more “simplified” and secure.
Should you refuse to provide your biometric data, you’ll be barred from entering the territory of the European countries utilising the EES. Your data will only be retained in the system for the purposes it was gathered for.
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The data stored in the EES is safeguarded against misuse and access to it is limited to specific staff within national authorities. Non-EU nationals embarking on a short stay to a European country using the EES are affected. However, there are exceptions which can be found here.
As Greece adheres to Schengen area rules, this implies that your passport must:
- have a ‘date of issue’ less than 10 years before the date you arrive – if you renewed your passport before October 1, 2018, it may have a date of issue that is more than 10 years ago
- have an ‘expiry date’ at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen area (the expiry date does not need to be within 10 years of the date of issue)
You should verify with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Travellers must also renew their passport if they need to. You will be denied entry if you do not possess a valid travel document or attempt to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.
