British passport holders traveling to Ireland will be exempt from the requirement to scan fingerprints and have their image captured.
The forthcoming entry/exit system (EES), which applies to non-EU passport holders, will launch on October 6, 2024.
The EES is an automated IT system that will replace manual stamping of passports and register biometrics, travel document details, and entry and exit information.
The new rules may result in queues and delays at locations such as the Channel Tunnel, Port of Dover, and Eurostar’s terminal as well as uropean airports where British passports holders are arriving.
Europe’s visa-waiver scheme, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is expected to launch in mid-2025.
