Greece has just made summer travel significantly smoother for British holidaymakers, quietly stepping back from one of Europe’s most controversial new border measures.
Greece has scrapped the new Entry/Exit System (EES) for British passport holders
The country has confirmed that UK passport holders will not be subject to biometric registration under the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), in a move designed to ease pressure at airports and keep queues moving during peak season.
The EES, which came into force on April 10 2026, was introduced across the Schengen area to tighten border security for non-EU travellers.
The system requires visitors to register fingerprints and facial scans alongside their entry and exit details, part of a broader effort to tackle identity fraud and enforce the EU’s 90-day stay limit within a 180-day period.
But its rollout has been far from seamless.
Within days of its launch, reports emerged of major disruption at European airports. At Milan Linate, more than 100 easyJet passengers missed flights to Manchester after becoming stuck in lengthy border control queues, with some forced to spend over £1,000 on alternative travel arrangements.
Against that backdrop, Greece’s decision to streamline the process for British travellers will come as a relief to both tourists and the travel industry.
Tourism minister Olga Kefalogianni confirmed that Brits will not face biometric checks at Greek borders this summer, with the aim of keeping entry procedures to “less than a couple of minutes.”
She stressed that the move is not a formal exemption from EES, but rather a practical adjustment to ensure visitors are not “burdened” by additional bureaucracy.
No biometric registration will be needed for British tourists visiting Greece
An official statement from the Greek embassy in London reinforced this approach, confirming that British passport holders are excluded from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points under the current implementation.
The Greek National Tourism Organisation has also backed the move, with UK director Eleni Skarveli saying it will create a “smoother and more efficient arrival experience” while significantly reducing waiting times and airport congestion.
The stakes are high. Greece remains one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations, welcoming nearly 25 million visitors between January and August in 2025 alone, generating €16.7 billion in tourism revenue.
British travellers are a crucial part of that picture, with nearly 4.5 million visiting in 2022, a record figure.
With numbers expected to surge again this summer, avoiding bottlenecks at border control is a clear priority.
The decision also reflects a wider reality: not all EU countries were fully prepared for the EES rollout. France, Spain, Poland and Greece itself faced challenges in implementing the new system, contributing to early disruption.
For now, at least, British travellers heading to Greek islands or mainland hotspots can expect a more straightforward arrival with no fingerprint scans, no facial recognition checks, and far less time spent queueing after landing.