EU: What Will The New Automated Border Control Look Like from Sunday?

PASSPORT: Non-european citizens will soon be asked for a photo and fingerprints in addition to their passport at border control to travel to the European Union (EU)

From the 12th October, a photo and fingerprints will gradually be required when crossing the border for all non-EU citizens traveling to the EU, as part of the implementation of a new automated border control system.

The objective of this new method? Eventually replace the manual buffer on passports and ensure better sharing of information between Member States. This system will allow the authorities to know the entry and exit dates of travelers, in order to monitor overstays and refusals of entry.

In debate for almost ten years, however, it arouses the reluctance of certain transport or passenger companies who fear that it will lengthen queues airports or the stations. This is why its implementation is staggered over time.

“Major challenge”

First stage, Sunday. Non-EU travelers arriving in all EU countries except Cyprus and Ireland, will be asked for their passport number, fingerprints and photos at border markers. This data will also be required upon arrival in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The largest European countries, such as France and Germany, will only carry out a handful of checks initially in order to avoid huge queues at airports. “On the 12th October, we expect a normal situation, there will be no congestion problems”, underlines the French Ministry of the Interior. But the implementation of this system remains a “major challenge” for France, which is among the world’s leading tourist destinations, he adds. The smallest member states will put this system completely in place from Sunday. All will have until mid-April to register 100% of travelers arriving at their borders.

“Preventing irregular migration”

The most scrutinized border will probably be that with the United Kingdom, whose nationals will also be subject to these controls, since they have left the European Union. British authorities have already warned their citizens that “a few more minutes” of waiting would be necessary for “each passenger” to cross borders.