Travellers heading to Europe have been warned to account for extra waits at the airport, but some could avoid them. The EES rollout has caused travel chaos for airplane passengers heading to and from Europe. Airports throughout Europe are now introducing the new Entry/Exit System (EES) as required by EU law. These have left numerous travellers facing unexpected hold-ups, with some even missing their flights due to lengthy queues. Nevertheless, certain travellers are entirely exempt from the new system.
What is the EES?
The EES is designed to replace the manual passport-stamping process when non-EU nationals enter or depart so-called Schengen countries. The new system records travel digitally using biometric data such as fingerprints, meaning it should make passport control faster and more secure once the majority of travellers have registered. However, a number of people are not required to use the system.
Exempt Categories
Travel to Europe, an official EU website, identifies 13 distinct categories of travellers who won't need to use EES and may be able to bypass the airport queues. This encompasses nationals of European countries operating EES, along with Cyprus, Ireland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and those holding passports issued by Vatican City State or the Holy See. Travellers with residence permits and long-stay visas may also qualify for exemption.
Family Members and Workers
Non-EU nationals could be exempt from EES if they possess a residence card and are a direct family member of an EU national, or hold a residence permit and are a direct family member of a non-EU national who is entitled to travel throughout Europe in the same manner as an EU citizen. Non-EU nationals travelling to Europe as part of an intra-corporate transfer or for work-related purposes such as research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange schemes, educational projects or au-pairing are also exempt.
Armed Forces and Diplomats
Armed forces personnel will be exempt from registering for EES if they are travelling on NATO or Partnership for Peace business, provided they carry an identification and individual or collective movement order as outlined by the Agreement between the parties to the North Atlantic Treaty regarding the Status of their Forces. This may also extend to civilian components or dependants referred to in the NATO Status of Forces Agreement, as well as NATO International Civilians based in any of the 29 European countries operating the EES and their dependants.
Certain people are generally exempt from border checks or benefit from specific privileges relating to them, and this equally applies to EES. These include heads of state, accredited diplomats in certain circumstances and cross-border workers.
Other Exemptions
Those holding a valid local border traffic permit, crew members of passenger and freight trains on international connecting journeys, and travellers who are not required to cross external borders at designated border crossing points during fixed opening hours are also exempt. Finally, travellers in possession of a valid Facilitated Rail Transit Document or valid Facilitated Transit Document are exempt, on the condition that they travel by train and do not disembark at any point within the territory of an EU Member State.
How to Register for EES
Signing up to the EES is completely free and passengers are not required to do anything differently prior to arriving at the airport. Border control officers will photograph your face and/or scan your fingerprints, logging this data in a digital record that should remain valid for the following three years. As increasing numbers of travellers come across the system for the first time, the volume of people being registered at airports is the primary cause of the lengthy queues and hold-ups.
Official guidance on the Gov.uk website explains: "On your first visit to the Schengen area, you may be asked to create a digital record at the port or airport on arrival. You may be asked to submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated booths. You don't need to provide any information before travelling to a Schengen area country. The checks may take slightly longer than previously, so be prepared to wait during busy times."
