Travel Expert Gives Update on EES for Greece, Portugal, and Germany

Simon Calder said he still gets reports of long delays caused by EES.

A travel expert updated British holidaymakers on Greece, Portugal, and Germany. Many travellers are worried about possible hold-ups from the new European Union Entry/Exit System.

The scheme replaces traditional passport stamps with a biometric system, but there have been reports of significant delays. Large volumes of tourists are being photographed and fingerprinted, causing lengthy queues in popular destinations.

Greece said British visitors won't face the new system in summer. Journalist Simon Calder shared his thoughts on the situation.

Simon Calder said he hears bad things about EES. A man waited an hour in a queue in Lisbon. Things are not going well with the new system.

Someone said Frankfurt will have fingerprinting and photographing for all arrivals and departures, even though it's not according to the rules.

Simon Calder thinks other destinations might not follow the rules. Greece said they won't use the system for British visitors because they want them to have a stress-free time.

Greece is still not using the system, which means things are set for the summer.

EES was introduced in October 2025 but was supposed to be used across the Schengen area.

Ireland and Cyprus are not in the Schengen area, so EES doesn't apply when travelling there.

The Tourism Minister said British tourists won't have biometric checks in Greece. She said checks should take less than two minutes.

Greece is a popular destination for Brits, and they're worried about a drop in visitors due to EES. Simon Calder thinks the situation will remain unclear for some time.

Simon Calder said some countries will follow the rules, but others will not. He got a report that biometrics didn't work in Milan, so people were sent through without them.

It's clear that British visitors to Greece won't be affected by the new system until it changes.

Simon Calder said Greek airports have limited facilities, and long queues would be a problem. Visitors should comply with the rules to avoid missing their planes.

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