African travellers heading to Europe may face stricter biometric screening and longer queues at 29 European border crossings following the expiration of temporary measures introduced to ease congestion.
The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is now operating without the temporary flexibility that allowed certain biometric procedures to be suspended during periods of severe overcrowding.
The measures expired on September 6, meaning eligible non-EU travellers, including African tourists, business travellers, students and visitors travelling to see family members, may be subject to full EES registration.
Under the system, travellers may be required to provide passport information, facial images and fingerprints when entering participating European countries.
First-time EES users may also face additional processing at self-service kiosks or with border officers, potentially increasing the time required to complete border formalities.
Travellers who have previously provided fingerprints as part of a Schengen visa application are not automatically exempt from EES registration.
Airlines have warned that the additional biometric procedures could contribute to delays at airports and other border crossing points, with some passengers reportedly experiencing disruptions to flights and connections.
The introduction of the full procedures is expected to place additional pressure on border facilities, particularly during busy travel periods.
Travellers are therefore advised to arrive at airports and other points of entry well in advance and allow additional time for immigration and biometric processing.
The EES is designed to digitally record entries and exits of eligible non-EU nationals travelling to participating European countries, replacing the traditional practice of manually stamping passports.
The system is intended to strengthen border management, improve the detection of overstays and enhance security across Europe’s external borders.
