Fancy a quick trip to the continent? If you are a British passport holder visiting the European Union, you will need to go under additional entry procedures from October 6, 2024, it has been announced.

British passport holders will have to register their fingerprints and have their pictures taken upon every entry into the Schengen block due to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES). This is due to Britons becoming ‘third-country nationals’ following Brexit.

The EES replaces traditional passport stamping with an automated IT system and is designed to support border security against potential terrorist threats. The system was due to be implemented in May 2024, however it was given a delayed start date due to the Paris Olympics in the summer.

That said, EU citizens will be happy to learn that they will not face new procedures entering the UK until at least 2025, when new electronic travel authorisation (ETA) and visa-waiver requirements take effect.

EU passport holders will need to obtain the UK ETA before departure with the visa-waiver scheme setting travellers back €7 (Dhs28) every three years.

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