Greece Exempts UK Travellers from EU Biometric Checks

Greece is letting UK travellers skip new EU biometric checks. This is different from other EU countries which are seeing long queues.
By Newsroom | Travel, Europe |

Athens has decided to exempt British travellers from the European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES), foregoing fingerprint and facial scan requirements. This move, enacted to streamline arrivals and avoid the congestion witnessed at other EU borders, means UK passport holders entering Greece will only undergo standard passport checks.

Greece ditches fingerprint and facial scans for Britons after new EU travel rules sparked border chaos across Europe - 1

The decision arrives as the EES, which mandates biometric data collection for non-EU citizens upon their first entry into the Schengen Area, has already triggered significant delays and travel chaos across the continent since its implementation on April 10, 2026. Reports from other European countries detailed passengers facing queues exceeding an hour, with some missing flights due to extended processing times. Travel advice from operators like TUI now emphasizes arriving at airports at least 2.5 to 3 hours prior to departure to account for potential EES-related delays for other nationalities.

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Greece ditches fingerprint and facial scans for Britons after new EU travel rules sparked border chaos across Europe - 2

Athens Opts for a Simpler Entry

The Greek exemption effectively removes a layer of bureaucracy for British tourists, a demographic often making up a significant portion of summer visitors to popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos. Travel observers suggest this strategic decision aims to maintain Greece's appeal as a tourist destination, mitigating some of the post-Brexit travel frictions.

The EES system, a digital registry for non-EU visitors, requires travellers to provide fingerprints and a photograph on their initial entry, with data retained for up to five years. Future visits would then involve a quick facial scan for verification. However, with Greece’s divergence from this mandate for UK citizens, holidaymakers can anticipate a smoother passage through Greek immigration control.

Echoes of Chaos Elsewhere

While Greece offers a reprieve, the broader implementation of the EES continues to affect other EU member states. Reports indicate that, absent similar exemptions, many airports are experiencing considerable backlogs. The official guidance from the UK government on the EES notes that refusal to provide biometric data would result in denial of entry, underscoring the system's compulsory nature for most non-EU nationals. The BBC has also reported that refusal to comply with the biometric data requirements could lead to being denied entry.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are UK travellers not required to give fingerprints and facial scans in Greece?
Greece has decided to exempt British travellers from the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES) to make arrivals smoother and avoid long queues. UK passport holders will only have standard passport checks.
Q: What is the EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) that Greece is partly ignoring for UK citizens?
The EES requires non-EU citizens to give fingerprint and facial scan data on their first entry into the Schengen Area. This data is kept for up to five years for future checks.
Q: Have other European countries faced problems with the EES?
Yes, since the EES started on April 10, 2026, many EU borders have seen long queues, with some travellers missing flights. Reports show queues lasting over an hour in some places.
Q: What does this mean for British tourists planning to visit Greece?
British tourists can expect easier and faster entry into Greece compared to other EU countries that are fully enforcing the EES. This should help avoid the significant delays other nationalities are facing at borders.
Q: What happens if other non-EU travellers do not provide biometric data?
The UK government has stated that refusing to provide the required biometric data for the EES will result in being denied entry into the EU. This rule still applies to most non-EU nationals entering other member states.