Changes to eu e-gate rules not set to affect summer holidays this year

BRITISH TRAVELLERS ARRIVING AT EU AIRPORTS ARE TYPICALLY REQUIRED TO QUEUE FOR MANNED DESKS TO HAVE THEIR PASSPORTS STAMPED 22:17, 20 May 2025Updated 22:18, 20 May 2025 British passport

holders will be able to use e-gates at more European airports as part of a new UK-EU deal, the Government announced. The fresh EU deal, reached on Monday (May 19) after the London summit,

designed to restart the relationship between both unions after Brexit could allow more British travellers to use passport e-gates when going on holiday to Europe. But according to _the

Guardian_, the new deal will likely not come into effect until the autumn and is to be phased in over a six month period. _JOIN THE MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS WHATSAPP GROUP _HERE It was

reported that British tourists travelling overseas will have to stop at passport-stamping queues in the EU until at least October and possibly into 2026 despite the agreement. The government

is understood to have conceded that the change is not being implemented until October and will then be phased in over six months until April 2026. Article continues below British travellers

arriving at EU airports are typically required to queue for manned desks to have their passports stamped, rather than use automated gates with facial recognition technology. ‌The issue has

had a big impact on the travel experience and has been described as one of the most visible setbacks of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Sir Keir Starmer told the Commons the move would

'help British holiday makers' because they will be 'able to use e-gates when they travel to Europe, ending those huge queues to passport control'. British passports can

currently be used at e-gates in the EU at a limited number of airports in Spain and Portugal, but the new deal means that travel throughout Europe will become much more seamless for UK

citizens. Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said the announcement was 'a significant breakthrough for British

travellers'. She told the PA news agency: “The frustrating experience of lengthy border control queues upon arrival has been a persistent challenge for many, so the expanded access to

e-gates across Europe comes as a tremendous relief. “With this streamlined system in place, we anticipate both holidaymakers and business travellers will enjoy a much smoother, more

efficient airport experience, allowing them to begin their journeys without unnecessary delays.” The EU is planning to launch its long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) in October. This will

replace the need for people arriving in the EU from non-member countries such as the UK to have their passports stamped. Instead, they will need to have their fingerprints scanned and a

photograph taken to register them on a database, with the data stored for three years. --- Day in day out, our reporters in the_ Manchester Evening __News_ newsroom bring you remarkable

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