The new EES system for entry into France/Spain etc

[GMJ]

It's been in a little while now. Does anyone have any experience of it? Any notable delays for departures?

ta

 

[TJBi]

"The new Entry/Exit System (EES) started to be operational on 12 October 2025. European countries using the EES are introducing the system gradually at their external borders. This means that data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossing points with full implementation by 10 April 2026. For more information – see What does progressive start of the EES mean?"

European Union - EES / ETIAS

travel-europe.europa.eu

 

[TJBi]

French border control is/will be making use of two options on entry:
1) Go directly to border control, where personnel will register all details, or:
2) Go to a pre-registration terminal/device if available, register the details yourself, then go to border control, where pre-registration will be validated.

There are details of pre-registration, including lists of border control points where it will be available, at: https://www.service-public.gouv.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F39254?lang=en

 

[GMJ]

Thanks - useful info. I guess we'll be doing that when we leave on the tunnel in January.

The question still remains though: has anyone experienced it yet?

 

[marchie]

Thanks - useful info. I guess we'll be doing that when we leave on the tunnel in January.

The question still remains though: has anyone experienced it yet?

Yes, as I answered on the M/homer Forum. Nothing implemented by Brittany Ferries at Portsmouth or Santander, but as I said, EU States can choose when and for which modes of travel to implement the EES

Steve

 

[REC]

Portugal apparently have suspended it over Christmas! We are going January too, so will find out at tunnel.

 

[GMJ]

I asked the question of the tunnel yesterday and they advised that they haven't implemented it yet. They gave no indication of when it would be starting...so watch this space!

 

[GMJ]

Anyone had experience of the new system yest when leaving the UK on a ferry or the tunnel?

 

[Sidders]

Tunnel system wasn’t in use on the 17th Dec

 

[st3v3]

We did eurostar out 21st December, returned 29th. All pretty slick and straight forward

 

[GMJ]

I received the following reply from Eurotunnel Customer Service yesterday...

Thank you for contacting us.

The European Union have introduced a new Entry/Exit System (EES) and this will apply to non-EU nationals (including UK citizens) when entering or leaving the Schengen area. This is not a LeShuttle initiative, but we’ve been working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure your journey through our terminals remains smooth and efficient. While the new system started on 12th October, customers travelling with their cars will not see any changes when travelling with us until early 2026.

 

[Pauljenny]

Our offspring flew out to Faro, Friday 2nd. Returned yesterday.
Experienced almost no hassles, except a couple of snags caused by J.D.Wetherspoons and the like.

 

[Handel10]

We went through tunnel 4th of January nothing implemented then

 

[Moped]

Any experience at Santander?

 

[Andy Shaw]

Arrived at Bilbao this morning , 8 am local time. No EES stuff at all, passports stamped and lack of pets confirmed then away we went!

 

[trevexess]

It's been in a little while now. Does anyone have any experience of it? Any notable delays for departures?

ta

We left UK on January 15th, eurotunnel, still nothing implemented , straight through without any hassle. No one on the French side has any idea when it will be implemented. Will return mid Feb, I don't expect anything to have happened.

 

[Moped]

Went through customs at Santander ferry port and motorhomes were currently permitted to pass with the normal hand date stamp entry in the passport. We were waved through to a certain customs point.

Car drivers however were segregated with a proportion selected to pass through the ETIAS custom point and asked to get out of their vehicle to have fingerprints and photo taken. Others went through the hand stamp custom point.

There were 6 custom points open when previously there were 2 or 3 with 2 of the 6 operating ETIAS entry.

By April ETIAS will be required at all custom points so I guess the Spanish are testing the system on a proportion of vehicles entering Spain before it becomes fully operational.

Expect longer queues at customs from April onwards until every visitor to the EU has a record which permits a passport electronic scan.

 

[marchie]

Went through customs at Santander ferry port and motorhomes were currently permitted to pass with the normal hand date stamp entry in the passport. We were waved through to a certain customs point.

Car drivers however were segregated with a proportion selected to pass through the ETIAS custom point and asked to get out of their vehicle to have fingerprints and photo taken. Others went through the hand stamp custom point.

There were 6 custom points open when previously there were 2 or 3 with 2 of the 6 operating ETIAS entry.

By April ETIAS will be required at all custom points so I guess the Spanish are testing the system on a proportion of vehicles entering Spain before it becomes fully operational.

Expect longer queues at customs from April onwards until every visitor to the EU has a record which permits a passport electronic scan.

We booked our return journey from Santander last week, for 25th February. Will be interesting to see if M/Homes are ETIAS checked. I have UK Passport but rely upon Elaine's Irish Passport to avoid the 90/180 limits (folder with Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Divorce Certificate from earlier marriage, earlier trip Boarding Passes to prove we travelled together, plus other supporting odds 'n' sods in case we meet a sceptic Border Official)

Coming back to UK winter us bad enough, but the fancying about at Portsmouth is a joyful experience designed by someone who never learned about Operations Management or humanity ...

Steve

 

[TJBi]

We booked our return journey from Santander last week, for 25th February. Will be interesting to see if M/Homes are ETIAS checked. I have UK Passport but rely upon Elaine's Irish Passport to avoid the 90/180 limits (folder with Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Divorce Certificate from earlier marriage, earlier trip Boarding Passes to prove we travelled together, plus other supporting odds 'n' sods in case we meet a sceptic Border Official)

Coming back to UK winter us bad enough, but the fancying about at Portsmouth is a joyful experience designed by someone who never learned about Operations Management or humanity ...

Steve

What don't you fancy about Portsmouth? I've been through there many times; UK Border Force always friendly, professional, efficient.

 

[marchie]

What don't you fancy about Portsmouth? I've been through there many times; UK Border Force always friendly, professional, efficient.

Border Guard in the checkpoint cabin keys in the data whilst there are other staff standing around. Man from cabin then wanders out to the M/Home, does the internal inspection, then the external locker inspection, before returning to cabin to key in the necessary details and raising the barrier. It has to be much quicker for one of the staff already outside to do the inspection and give an 'all clear' signal to the man in the cabin? Doesn't sound much, but 3 minutes+ extra time on each M/home soon adds up ...

Last arrival, after the 'man in the cabin' solo, the Guards at the final.barrier lost the will to live and began to drop it as I was about to pass underneath. Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles would have seen a 2.87m high x 2.35m wide Motorhome less than 10m away ...

Steve