‘Pretty shambolic’: new EU border checks cause stress for UK travellers

Britons report that EES digital entry and exit system has led to frustration, visa mix-ups and long queues

On top of fears about https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jun/27/germany-italy-heatwave-records-tumble-across-europe">extreme heat and https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/may/06/totally-grounded-how-the-jet-fuel-crisis-could-change-our-summer-holidays-and-world-history">possible jet fuel shortages, Britons planning summer holidays in the EU this year had another thing to worry about – long queues and waiting times caused by the bloc’s new border checks.

The https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jul/02/what-is-the-ess-and-how-is-it-affecting-visitors-to-eu-nations-this-summer">EU digital entry and exit system (EES), which requires non-EU citizens to register and be photographed and fingerprinted on arrival and departure from the Schengen zone, has been technically in full force since April after https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/27/will-the-eu-new-fingerprint-entry-system-cause-gridlock-the-guardian-tried-it-out">launching last autumn, but has been beset by teething problems.