EES beware.

[WelshGas]

Travellers Beware.

The EES will be fully implemented in all Schengen countries by Apr 10, so it was disappointing to learn that Michelle had been given incorrect information by an immigration officer about her stays in the EU just days beforehand. I asked her to send me a scan of all the pages in her British passport, and submitted this to the Portuguese consulate in London along with a request for her case to be reviewed.

The consulate said it had no access to border control information, but it did supply two email addresses for the Public Security Police and the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum. Michelle emailed both addresses at 7.30pm on Apr 1 with her passport scan.

To our delight and surprise, by 10.30am the next morning, a “technical agent” at the Border Security Police in Lisbon had responded with a list of Michelle’s recent entries and exits showing a total of 61 days and confirmed she was free to return to the EU.

It appears that mistakes do happen, even following the introduction of the new digital EES, which replaces passport stamps. Until glitches in the system are resolved, I would advise frequent travellers to keep a print-out of previous visits recorded on the EU’s “short-stay calculator”.

You can find this digital tool, and information on how the EES works in practice, by visiting travel-europe.europa.eu/ees. The “short-stay calculator” also enables you to check whether your next visit will comply with the 90/180 rule.

 

[brcas64]

Travellers Beware.

The EES will be fully implemented in all Schengen countries by Apr 10, so it was disappointing to learn that Michelle had been given incorrect information by an immigration officer about her stays in the EU just days beforehand. I asked her to send me a scan of all the pages in her British passport, and submitted this to the Portuguese consulate in London along with a request for her case to be reviewed.

The consulate said it had no access to border control information, but it did supply two email addresses for the Public Security Police and the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum. Michelle emailed both addresses at 7.30pm on Apr 1 with her passport scan.

To our delight and surprise, by 10.30am the next morning, a “technical agent” at the Border Security Police in Lisbon had responded with a list of Michelle’s recent entries and exits showing a total of 61 days and confirmed she was free to return to the EU.

It appears that mistakes do happen, even following the introduction of the new digital EES, which replaces passport stamps. Until glitches in the system are resolved, I would advise frequent travellers to keep a print-out of previous visits recorded on the EU’s “short-stay calculator”.

You can find this digital tool, and information on how the EES works in practice, by visiting travel-europe.europa.eu/ees. The “short-stay calculator” also enables you to check whether your next visit will comply with the 90/180 rule.

Glad you got it sorted and fast as well. There is so much misinformation out there on the EES. I hold an Irish passport nd my wife is UK which confuses passport control in some EU countries, so should be interesting when we travel at the end of this month.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

You can find this digital tool, and information on how the EES works in practice, by visiting travel-europe.europa.eu/ees. The “short-stay calculator” also enables you to check whether your next visit will comply with the 90/180 rule.

To be clear WG, that's a maximum of 90 days in any 180 right? On a rolling basis. That's my understanding.

 

[WelshGas]

To be clear WG, that's a maximum of 90 days in any 180 right? On a rolling basis. That's my understanding.

Day 1 of the 180 day period starts when you land in the EU and finishes 180 days later. During that 180 day period you can only stay in the EU for a maximum 90 days, so it is important if you make multiple trips in that 180 day period not to exceed the 90 day allowance. Hence using the on-line calculator.


You can find this digital tool, and information on how the EES works in practice, by visiting travel-europe.europa.eu/ees. The “short-stay calculator” also enables you to check whether your next visit will comply with the 90/180 rule.

 

[Mrs Acer]

Hi, we thought we would turn up at Folkestone channel tunnel crossing and just complete any forms/finger prints/ photo etc. Are you saying we need to do something else? In our circumstances we were last in Europe more than 190 days ago, so we are good to go again.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi, we thought we would turn up at Folkestone channel tunnel crossing and just complete any forms/finger prints/ photo etc. Are you saying we need to do something else? In our circumstances we were last in Europe more than 190 days ago, so we are good to go again.

No, you don't have to do anything different, at the moment, but if you are planning on multiple trips over the 180 days you just need to keep a count of the days so you don't overstay the cumulative 90 days in the 180 days which start when you arrive in the EU.

 

[WelshGas]

And the next stage ETIAS, possibly end of 2026.
It seems that over 70's have to apply BUT don't have to pay.

What is ETIAS and when is that coming?​

The EU is also introducing a new visa waiver system linked to passports called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will build on the EES.
Citizens of non-EU countries who don't need a visa to enter the EU - including people from the UK - will be able to apply online for authorisation before they travel.
ETIAS isn't due to start until the end of 2026, but the final date has not yet been confirmed.
It will cost €20 (£17.47) per application, and will be valid for three years.
People aged under 18 and over 70 will need to apply, but won't have to pay.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

And the next stage ETIAS, possibly end of 2026.
It seems that over 70's have to apply BUT don't have to pay.

What is ETIAS and when is that coming?​

The EU is also introducing a new visa waiver system linked to passports called the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will build on the EES.
Citizens of non-EU countries who don't need a visa to enter the EU - including people from the UK - will be able to apply online for authorisation before they travel.
ETIAS isn't due to start until the end of 2026, but the final date has not yet been confirmed.
It will cost €20 (£17.47) per application, and will be valid for three years.
People aged under 18 and over 70 will need to apply, but won't have to pay.

Better value than the UK ETA visa then, which is already in place at £20 (23€) for two years validity with no age exemptions.

Doesn't affect me or the kids (we have EU and UK passports) but my German wife doesn't have a UK passport and now has to apply for the ETA visa if we want to visit family and friends in the UK. Irrespective of all the other Brexit issues I can't help feeling that this is a daft tit for tat exercise primarily based on money making for the UK and the EU. In short, a load of bollocks.

 

[WelshGas]

Better value than the UK ETA visa then, which is already in place at £20 (23€) for two years validity with no age exemptions.

Doesn't affect me or the kids (we have EU and UK passports) but my German wife doesn't have a UK passport and now has to apply for the ETA visa if we want to visit family and friends in the UK. Irrespective of all the other Brexit issues I can't help feeling that this is a daft tit for tat exercise primarily based on money making for the UK and the EU. In short, a load of bollocks.

I'm sure it is and if the EU cancel the requirement then the UK probably would unless Rachel from Ccounts is still in post.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Probably the other way round. Pretty sure the UK announced the tourist visa plan first, they certainly introduced it first.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

Better value than the UK ETA visa then, which is already in place at £20 (23€) for two years validity with no age exemptions.

Doesn't affect me or the kids (we have EU and UK passports) but my German wife doesn't have a UK passport and now has to apply for the ETA visa if we want to visit family and friends in the UK. Irrespective of all the other Brexit issues I can't help feeling that this is a daft tit for tat exercise primarily based on money making for the UK and the EU. In short, a load of bollocks.

Absolutely. It makes a complete mockery when literally thousands of young single men with zero link to the UK or passports or ID documents of any kind, are welcomed here with open arms

 

[WelshGas]

Probably the other way round. Pretty sure the UK announced the tourist visa plan first, they certainly introduced it first.

The ETIAS was announced by the EU in April 2016. They’ve been working on it for 10 yrs.
The U.K. visa for EU citizens was announced in 2020 and introduced on 1st January 2021.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Fair enough, I still consider it a load of necessary bollocks for tourists going either direction.

 

[RedWhiteMonkey]

Fair enough, I still consider it a load of necessary bollocks for tourists going either direction.

Whoops, obviously meant unnecessary.

Glad I don't have to do it.

 

[Daveb999]

Update on my last EES where I got through mega quick. At Santander today and it’s taking ages. Would normally be on ferry by now but still waiting to be called forward with things not moving. They started taking cars / vans on over an hour ago.

 

[acer]

They were clearly putting in a lot of infrastructure in connection with this at LeShuttle, Folkestone, when we last went through in October 2025. Has anyone been delayed on their outward journey recently at Folkestone?

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Update on my last EES where I got through mega quick. At Santander today and it’s taking ages. Would normally be on ferry by now but still waiting to be called forward with things not moving. They started taking cars / vans on over an hour ago.

Confused. You’re returning to UK and big queues to get on the boat because of EES?

What was it like UK to Spain? I thought that was when the checks/delays would be ?

 

[Maidment_Ocean]

They were clearly putting in a lot of infrastructure in connection with this at LeShuttle, Folkestone, when we last went through in October 2025. Has anyone been delayed on their outward journey recently at Folkestone?

We came to France last Saturday on shuttle no problem, no ESS yet in tunnel.

 

[WelshGas]

The EES checks are carried out by the French or Spanish Passport Control. BUT for Eurostar/Euroshuttle and Dover ferries the French Passport Control is on the U.K. side , by special agreement . Not so for Spain or other EU countries. They can collect the initial EES data on entry or exit.

 

[Black Forest]

My German partner bumped into the EES requirement coming into the UK two days after it was introduced. Went through passport check which flagged the EES shortfall. Nipped to the terminal at Europort, hopped on the free WiFi and sorted and paid. Immediately received an email saying three days processing (ferry leaves in 90 mins)...

Happy days, electronic confirmation 10 mins later, back to passport control and they could see the EES was in order and boarded the ferry...

If only there was a way to have free movement across European countries. Oh, hang on....

 

[WelshGas]

My German partner bumped into the EES requirement coming into the UK two days after it was introduced. Went through passport check which flagged the EES shortfall. Nipped to the terminal at Europort, hopped on the free WiFi and sorted and paid. Immediately received an email saying three days processing (ferry leaves in 90 mins)...

Happy days, electronic confirmation 10 mins later, back to passport control and they could see the EES was in order and boarded the ferry...

If only there was a way to have free movement across European countries. Oh, hang on....

Take it up with your EU MP.

The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) regulation was officially adopted on 20 November 2017 and entered into force on 29 December 2017.

 

[Black Forest]

Take it up with your EU MP.

Apologies WG, confusing EES with my partners ETA visa (April 25), for the UK, this is what she needed. Fortunately the Uk is a tourist destination for us now. I don't need EES as a German resident or ETA as a UK passport holder.

However: If only there was a way to have free movement across European countries. Oh, hang on....
IMHO still applies.

 

[WelshGas]

Take it up with your EU MP.

Apologies WG, confusing EES with my partners ETA visa (April 25), for the UK, this is what she needed. Fortunately the Uk is a tourist destination for us now. I don't need EES as a German resident or STA as a UK passport holder.

However: If only there was a way to have free movement across European countries. Oh, hang on....
IMHO still applies.

Greece has abandoned the EES for tourists.

 

[KevH]

EES is yet to be implemented on the Newhaven - Dieppe route.as on 4 May. Fingers crossed it stays that way until at least the 20th for the return leg.
And according to The Connextion France has ruled out following Greece in relaxing the scheme with the UK.

 

[acer]

Infrastructure in place for a year at the tunnel, Folkestone but EES still not implemented. I had a brief chat with someone at passport control who thought that it’s possible it could all be abandoned, especially in light of Greece. They had employed extra staff to handle things, but have now let them go.