Passport: major changes in sight for travelers from November 10

© Interieur.gouv.fr

We will have to get used to it. From November 10, 2024, the entry and exit system of European Union countries, including France, will undergo a major change. Indeed, the manual stamping of the passport, a well-known passage for travelers, is now replaced by an electronic check.

How it works ?

In detail, this system is called Entry/Exit System (EES). It concerns passengers from non-EU countries. In airports or train stations, they will now scan their passport and/or travel documents on a self-service terminal provided for this purpose.

According to Cnews, this new system will save their name, biometric data, and the date and place of entry and exit. Every three years, their facial scans and fingerprints will then be taken.

What will this be used for ?

The ambition behind this new system is to better combat illegal immigration, while improving border management within the EU. This new system is therefore supposed to identify people who have exceeded their authorized stay, and to identify all those who try to enter European territory with false papers.

Quoted by Euronews, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, comments:

Thanks to the EES, we will know exactly who is entering the Schengen area with a foreign passport. We will know whether people are overstaying, which will help combat irregular migration. Finally, biometric identification, photos and fingerprints will make it harder for criminals, terrorists or Russian spies to use fake passports.

Will there be any glitches with the EES??

With the introduction of this electronic check, some observers, particularly in the United Kingdom, fear an increase in transport delays linked to the implementation of these new checkpoints.

This is a major concern for representatives of the tourism industry who fear that it will have a deterrent effect on holidaymakers by creating queues. In the UK, “precautionary flexibility measures allow for greater freedom of movement for vehicles, coaches, HGVs and cars”, have already been anticipated by the former Minister of Transport, Guy Opperman.

What you need to remember:

• As of November 10, manual passport stamping is now replaced by electronic checks on entry and exit from the EU
• The authorities' aim is to better combat illegal immigration
• The tourism industry fears longer queues

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