Airport delays?! The EU introduces new rules, here’s what changes for Albanian travelers from April 10

Travel to Europe may change significantly in the coming days.

The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES), which began a gradual rollout on October 12 last year across 29 European countries, will become fully operational starting April 10, 2026.

This means passport stamps will be replaced by digitally recorded entries and exits, along with records of entry refusals for short-stay non-EU travelers.

Biometric information such as facial images and fingerprints, along with personal data from the travel document used, will also be recorded.

This new system has been implemented to modernize the EU’s border security and immigration systems, as well as to reduce crime and fraud and identify security risks.

Since its implementation began, according to the European Commission, more than 24,000 people have been refused entry due to reasons such as expired or false documents, or failure to fully justify the purpose of their visit. Additionally, more than 600 individuals have been identified as posing security risks to Europe.

Who does the EES apply to and who is exempt?

The EES applies to non-EU/Schengen citizens traveling to Schengen or EU countries for short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period.

This includes UK citizens, as well as visa-exempt travelers, whether traveling for tourism or business. It also applies to people who own property in the EU but do not have a residence permit.

However, Ireland and Cyprus are exempt from using the EES, meaning they will continue with manual passport checks.

Some people are also exempt from the EES.

These include citizens of EU and Schengen member states, as well as individuals with long-term visas or residence permits from these countries, including non-EU nationals.

Similarly, family members of EU citizens who hold a residence card from one of these countries are exempt, along with local border traffic permit holders.

Crew members of trains and airplanes on international journeys are also exempt, along with armed forces personnel and their families involved in Partnership for Peace or NATO duties.

There may also be some exceptions for day trips on cruises that start and end outside the Schengen area.

Citizens of Andorra, San Marino, Vatican City, and Monaco will not need to go through the EES.

Will there be delays at airports due to the EES?

There are likely to be significant delays at airports in the first months of full EES operation, despite the EU’s promise to allow some flexibility to account for heavy summer queues.

“Waiting times are now regularly reaching up to two hours during peak traffic periods, with some airports reporting even longer queues,” said ACI Europe and Airlines for Europe (A4E) in a joint statement.

One of the main reasons for increased delays is that all third-country passengers have been required to register through the EES since March 31.

Previously, border control authorities were able to suspend EES processes fully or partially during peak travel times. However, this will no longer be possible from April 10 onward.

This means travelers will most likely need to arrive at the airport about one and a half to two hours earlier than usual to account for EES-related delays after April 10.

However, these delays are expected to ease in the medium term as EES processes become smoother.

Meanwhile, airport and airline associations continue to urge the European Commission to allow border authorities to suspend EES partially or fully when necessary throughout the summer 2026 season.

Do you need a biometric passport for the EES?

Biometric passports are not strictly required for the EES. They are only needed to use self-service kiosks for faster registration and entry.

Holders of standard passports must use staffed booths for initial registration and provide a photo and fingerprints.

This data will be stored for three years, making future checks significantly faster. Travelers who refuse to provide biometric data will automatically be denied entry.

Children under 12 are not required to provide fingerprints but must still be photographed.

Do I need to register in advance for the EES?

You do not need to register in advance for the EES, as registration is done at the border upon arrival in the EU.

The registration process depends on whether you have a biometric or standard passport, as explained above.

However, there is another option for travelers who want a faster process.

The Travel to Europe mobile app, an official EU app designed specifically for the EES, allows third-country travelers to pre-register biometric photos and passport data 72 hours before arrival to speed up border checks.

However, this does not replace the required border control interview.

Currently, it is only available in a few countries such as Portugal and Sweden, with plans to expand the app across the EU.

The app can be downloaded from Google Play or the Apple App Store, where users must complete an initial questionnaire and take a selfie to confirm their identity.

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