The U.K.’s Port of Dover confirmed on November 3 that it has postponed extending the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) to car passengers, after French border authorities asked for more time to test workflows. Biometric registration for coach and foot passengers began October 12, but the car-lane rollout—originally slated for November 1—now lacks a firm date.
![Port of Dover delays EES biometric checks for cars, easing concerns for U.S. holiday travelers]()
The delay is welcome news for U.S. families planning Thanksgiving or Christmas self-drive trips to France or Belgium, who had feared hour-long queues to provide fingerprints and facial scans before boarding ferries. Industry groups warn, however, that once EES activation resumes, processing times for first-time non-EU travelers could double at peak periods.
Airports are also bracing: Schiphol hired 200 staff this week to guide travelers through EES kiosks ahead of its own phased launch. U.S. companies with expatriate staff in Europe should alert employees of staggered country-by-country activation and advise early check-in. Frequent business travelers can shave minutes off by preregistering via carriers’ mobile apps where available. Full EES enforcement across the Schengen external border is due by April 2026, with ETIAS travel authorizations to follow later that year.
The delay is welcome news for U.S. families planning Thanksgiving or Christmas self-drive trips to France or Belgium, who had feared hour-long queues to provide fingerprints and facial scans before boarding ferries. Industry groups warn, however, that once EES activation resumes, processing times for first-time non-EU travelers could double at peak periods.
Airports are also bracing: Schiphol hired 200 staff this week to guide travelers through EES kiosks ahead of its own phased launch. U.S. companies with expatriate staff in Europe should alert employees of staggered country-by-country activation and advise early check-in. Frequent business travelers can shave minutes off by preregistering via carriers’ mobile apps where available. Full EES enforcement across the Schengen external border is due by April 2026, with ETIAS travel authorizations to follow later that year.
