The International, Commonwealth & Improvement Workplace (FCDO) has issued contemporary journey recommendation for Brits heading to Greece, after the nation introduced a significant change
The International Workplace has issued an replace relating to journey to Greece for Brits, and it is excellent news.
Because the European Union’s (EU) Entry/Exit System (EES) was absolutely rolled out earlier this month, widespread journey disruption has ensued. Holidaymakers have reported important queues and delays at airports throughout Europe, with some lasting as much as 4 hours, whereas lots of have missed flights as they try to navigate the brand new digital border system.
In an effort to alleviate the journey chaos, Greece has opted to waive the EU requirement for Brits to offer fingerprints and facial scans at airport border controls. In an announcement from the Greek Embassy, they introduced: “Replace for British passport holders travelling to Greece.
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“Within the framework of the implementation of the Entry/Exit System, as of 10 April 2026, British passport holders are exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossing factors.” Whereas there was no indication of how lengthy the exemption would stay in pressure, shortly afterwards, the International, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace (FCDO) revised its journey steerage for Greece.
There’s been a significant replace for Brits travelling to Greece (Picture: Getty Photographs)
In an replace on Monday, 20 April, the FCDO acknowledged: “Greek authorities have indicated that they won’t gather biometric knowledge (fingerprints and pictures) for UK travellers as a part of EES. Comply with the recommendation of authorities on the bottom. In case you are a resident in Greece, ensure to point out your residence documentation at passport management to make sure you aren’t registered in EES.”
Greece selected to desert the brand new biometric safety measures following considerations concerning the substantial journey disruption they have been producing at airports, severely affecting holidaymakers. The eased EU laws from Greece are actually anticipated to reinforce journey for Brits getting into the nation, facilitating a extra seamless journey with out arduous ready durations and pointless hold-ups, experiences the Mirror.
“ABTA has been warning locations and the (European) Fee for a while concerning the want for proactive steps to be taken to keep away from delays, together with the total use of contingency measures to face down biometric checks at busier occasions, and satisfactory staffing, particularly at peak occasions.”
The change is hoped to make journey into Greece so much smoother for Brits (Picture: Getty Photographs)
The EES was absolutely rolled out throughout European airports on April 10, 2026, requiring all Brits travelling to the Schengen zone to “create a digital report” and register their biometric data, together with fingerprints and {a photograph}. It is required for his or her preliminary arrival on the airport border inside the Schengen space, and following the primary registration, the EES stays legitimate for 3 years.
Nations within the Schengen space embrace: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
At current, Greece stays the one nation to have eased EU entry necessities for British travellers. The EES system just isn’t required for journey into the Republic of Eire and Cyprus, as they fall outdoors the Schengen space.
For extra data on the brand new EES system, go to the federal government web site.
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