Holidaymakers beware: What the EU’s new biometric borders mean for Cyprus travelers

Living in Cyprus European UnionTop NewsTourismtravel Holidaymakers beware: What the EU’s new biometric borders mean for Cyprus travelers Athens Airport Relevant News Holidaymakers beware: What the EU’s new biometric borders mean for Cyprus travelers 8 July 2026 Two more cloudy days until skies clear on Friday 8 July 2026 Who curates the curators? 7 July 2026 Daniel Zambartas 8 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber If you are planning a European getaway this summer, you might want to double-check the entry requirements for everyone in your travel group. The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) is now fully operational across 29 European countries, replacing traditional passport stamps with a digital registry of faces and fingerprints. While the system was designed to make border crossings quicker and more secure in the long run, the reality on the ground this summer has been anything but smooth. According to a report by The Guardian, travel industry groups have warned that the rollout has reached a “critical point,” with holidaymakers facing border control queues of up to five hours and missing flights. Here is everything you need to know before you head to the airport. How the system works The EES is a digital border check for non-EU citizens entering the Schengen zone for short stays (up to 90 days). When a traveler affected by the rules arrives at a Schengen border for the first time, they have to use a self-service kiosk to register their name, passport details, biometric photos, and fingerprints. Once this initial registration is complete, the data is kept on file for three years. In theory, future trips within that timeframe should be much faster, as travelers will only need a quick biometric scan instead of a full registration. The rule for Cyprus passport holders There is good news for locals: Cyprus is currently exempt from the system. Because Cyprus and Ireland are not fully part of the Schengen passport-free zone, passengers arriving in or traveling out of these two countries will continue to have their passports processed manually by border staff. If you hold a Cypriot passport, you do not need to register your biometrics and you can bypass the massive EES enrollment queues when landing at Schengen destinations like Greece, France, or Italy. Traveling with non-EU partners While you might be in the clear, the rules get tricky if you are traveling with someone who holds a non-EU passport, such as a British, American, or Australian passport. Even if they are flying out of Cyprus with you, they will have to go through the full biometric registration process when you land at your destination. This means your travel group will likely have to split up at border control, with non-EU passport holders heading into separate lanes to scan their fingerprints and photos. Long delays and missed flights The main issue facing travelers right now is airport congestion. Travel trade bodies have reported severe bottlenecks at major European holiday hubs, including airports in Greece, Spain, and Italy, as well as the UK’s Port of Dover. The situation has become so difficult that airline associations have actively petitioned the European Commission to temporarily suspend the biometric checks during peak summer weeks to avoid travel “disaster.” To potentially make matters worse, standard travel insurance policies are unlikely to cover financial losses if you miss a flight due to these border control queues. Airlines are also not legally required to offer free rebooking for delays caused by extraordinary border circumstances. If you or anyone in your traveling party holds a non-EU passport, the best advice this summer is to give yourselves a generous time cushion and arrive at the airport at least three hours before your return flight. Read more: EU Commission: Airports and member states to blame for travel delays, not EES Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Two more cloudy days until skies clear on Friday Who curates the curators? EU parliament to vote on condemning 1974 Cyprus sexual violence by Turkish army The World Cup, Trump’s newfound woes, and the ridiculous reality show The (Un)Housing market in Cyprus They are human beings “I am a collateral loss”: MP on her mother’s 1993 murder after femicide debate Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.