The long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU travellers was supposed to reach the Port of Dover this autumn, but port authorities confirmed today that the rollout for car passengers has been pushed back to ‘early 2026’. The decision, taken in consultation with French border-agency partners, aims to avoid Christmas-holiday gridlock on the UK-to-France corridor.
EES kiosks have been operational for coaches and freight since 12 October, capturing fingerprints and photos that will eventually replace passport stamps. Extending the process to private vehicles, however, proved more complex. Trials showed that processing a car could take up to six minutes—six times longer than current checks—because travellers must exit their vehicles to register biometrics.
![Port of Dover postpones EU Entry/Exit System for tourists until 2026]()
In announcing the delay, Dover said “significant progress” had been made on hardware and staffing but that a phased approach would now continue through the winter. Nearly 13,000 traveller profiles have already been created without major incident, suggesting the technology itself is stable.
For French businesses the reprieve offers breathing space: logistics firms avoid peak-season bottlenecks, and leisure travellers retain faster crossings for another school-holiday period. Yet companies are advised to prepare clients for longer dwell times once the system does go live next year, and to budget for possible driver-overtime costs. Eurotunnel and ferry operators are updating FAQs to direct passengers toward online pre-registration tools when they become available.
The postponement underscores a broader reality: despite EU pressure to digitise borders, implementation still hinges on bilateral operational readiness—especially at juxtaposed controls where French police screen travellers on UK soil.
EES kiosks have been operational for coaches and freight since 12 October, capturing fingerprints and photos that will eventually replace passport stamps. Extending the process to private vehicles, however, proved more complex. Trials showed that processing a car could take up to six minutes—six times longer than current checks—because travellers must exit their vehicles to register biometrics.
In announcing the delay, Dover said “significant progress” had been made on hardware and staffing but that a phased approach would now continue through the winter. Nearly 13,000 traveller profiles have already been created without major incident, suggesting the technology itself is stable.
For French businesses the reprieve offers breathing space: logistics firms avoid peak-season bottlenecks, and leisure travellers retain faster crossings for another school-holiday period. Yet companies are advised to prepare clients for longer dwell times once the system does go live next year, and to budget for possible driver-overtime costs. Eurotunnel and ferry operators are updating FAQs to direct passengers toward online pre-registration tools when they become available.
The postponement underscores a broader reality: despite EU pressure to digitise borders, implementation still hinges on bilateral operational readiness—especially at juxtaposed controls where French police screen travellers on UK soil.
