EES full rollout triggers three-hour airport queues across Europe

The EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System became fully operational on 10 April 2026, and the transition is causing significant disruption at European airports. Waiting times of up to three hours have been reported at peak times, with Brussels Airport warning of one-hour departure delays and nearly two-hour arrival delays. ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe (A4E) issued a joint statement confirming that queues are “regularly reaching up to two hours at peak traffic times, with some airports reporting even longer.”

For non-EU travellers – including British nationals, Americans, and digital nomads on short stays – the system replaces passport stamps with digitally recorded biometric data (fingerprints and facial images) at every border crossing. Since the phased rollout began in October 2025, more than 24,000 people have been refused entry for reasons including expired documents, fraudulent paperwork, or inability to justify their visit. Over 600 individuals have been flagged as security risks.

The full operational deadline means Member States can no longer suspend EES processes during peak travel. However, a 90-day grace period (with a possible 60-day extension) allows partial suspension where necessary. Remote workers and digital nomads transiting Schengen borders should factor in substantially longer processing times, particularly at major hub airports during the summer travel season. IATA has called for an immediate review of the system ahead of peak summer traffic.