PASSENGERS travelling to Europe direct from Jersey, or via the UK, may experience delays later this year as new regulations are introduced requiring fingerprints and facial scans to be taken when they first arrive.
A new entry/exit system – or EES – is currently due to come into operation in October. It means that all non-European Union passengers arriving for the first time in 25 EU countries and the four non-EU countries that are part of the Schengen zone will be met with additional requirements. Cyprus and Ireland are not affected.
While delays are expected when first arriving in Europe, the new system will subsequently “reduce wait times in passport control queues by allowing for automated border controls”, according to the European Union website.
Although reciprocal agreements between the UK government and France mean that French authorities can operate these controls on British soil – at direct entry points to France like the port of Dover and the Eurostar terminal – a spokesperson for Jersey Customs and Immigration confirmed that the EES would have no effect on immigration controls in the Island.
“The EES is being introduced by the European authorities. The European Commission indicates that all non-European nationals will have their biometric data collected on their first arrival into the Schengen Zone after EES is introduced.
“This will be managed by European authorities [and] it is anticipated it may cause some delays to British nationals on their first arrival into the Schengen Zone from Jersey. Once biometric data is collected for the first time it is expected subsequent EU passport controls for British nationals will be quicker as their passport will not need to be stamped”, the spokesperson said.
