2-hour queues at border control

Monday, 30 March 2026RSS
2-hour queues at border control
Photo: ANTONIO BAT/EPA

The new European Entry/Exit System requires digital registration for non-EU citizens in the Schengen area. Airlines and airports warn that the final phase arrives on April 9th, during the peak of Easter travel.

Context & Explainers

The Entry-Exit System (Sistema de Entrada e Saída) is an EU border-register that records biometric data (fingerprints and a facial image) and travel details for short-stay non‑EU travellers, replacing passport stamping and creating a searchable entry/exit record. According to recent reporting, the new rules now require over a third of non‑EU nationals entering Schengen to provide this extra data at the border; the aim is to improve security and migration tracking, but travellers should be prepared to submit biometrics at kiosks or border control and ensure their travel documents are valid. For expats and visitors this usually means slightly longer checks on arrival/departure and more robust digital records of your travel history.

View full article on observador.pt

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