New EU border rules require UK tourists to complete two steps to enter countries

New biometric checks will be introduced at airports next month.

People travelling to EU countries are being told about new biometric checks, which will start in just a few weeks.

If you're heading to places like Greece, France, Spain, Italy, or Portugal, you’ll need to have your face and fingerprints scanned when you arrive, starting from November.

These new checks will apply to travellers from non-EU countries, including the UK, as part of the EU’s new Entry-Exit System (EES).

This system is meant to improve security and make things smoother at the airport.

It will record your biometric data, such as facial recognition and fingerprints, along with your personal details like your name, passport, and when and where you enter and leave. Dawn Morwood, director of Cheap Deals Away UK, explained how it will work.

She said: “Passengers will have to look into a camera for a face scan and put their finger on a screen for a fingerprint scan.

The system will then register your name, biometric details, type of passport, and the date and place of your entry and exit."

"You’ll just need to stand in front of the camera for a few seconds, put your fingers on the scanner, and then you can move on. It’s a process many Brits may already know from using UK airports."

To follow data protection rules, the information will be deleted after three years. The EES aims to make border control faster and reduce wait times, while also preventing people from overstaying their visas.

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