The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has used its New-Year travel bulletin to caution Australian citizens that airports across the European Union’s Schengen Area will experience lengthier border-control queues from 1 January 2026. The warning comes as more member states activate the long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated register that captures fingerprints and facial images of non-EU visitors and records their date of entry and exit.
Although most major hubs began limited live testing in late 2025, New-Year implementation marks the first time the database will operate around the clock at many medium-sized airports and land crossings. Australians—who are classified as ‘‘third-country nationals’’—will now be asked to provide biometric data the first time they cross an EU external border after 1 January. Once enrolled, subsequent crossings should be faster, but DFAT expects teething problems in the early weeks, particularly at peak-holiday airports in Spain, Italy and Greece.
Australian travellers who want extra reassurance before departure can turn to VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) for step-by-step guidance on Europe’s evolving entry rules. The platform tracks EES and the forthcoming ETIAS requirements, offers document checks, and allows users to obtain any necessary authorisations online—saving time at the airport and reducing the risk of last-minute surprises.
![DFAT warns Australians of longer queues as EU rolls out Entry/Exit System]()
For corporate-mobility managers the timing is awkward: January is high season for project kick-offs and winter trade fairs. Travel-management companies are advising clients to allow at least an extra hour for immigration clearance and to build larger buffers into connecting itineraries. Employers with posted staff in Europe should remind dependants re-entering after the Christmas break that EES data collection is separate from airline ‘‘Advance Passenger Information’’ and cannot be completed online in advance.
Airlines and airports have spent months installing self-service kiosks and adapting eGate software, but labour unions in France and Germany have warned of potential slow-downs if staffing levels are not increased. The European Commission acknowledges the risk but insists the system will reduce fraud and overstays in the long run. A second layer—the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)—is now slated for spring 2026, meaning Australian travellers will eventually need both an ETIAS pre-authorisation and EES biometric registration.
DFAT’s advice is straightforward: check passport validity (minimum six months), arrive early, and monitor Smartraveller updates. Business travellers connecting through London should note that the United Kingdom is not part of EES, but Eurostar and ferry-port passengers heading on to continental Europe will be screened.
Although most major hubs began limited live testing in late 2025, New-Year implementation marks the first time the database will operate around the clock at many medium-sized airports and land crossings. Australians—who are classified as ‘‘third-country nationals’’—will now be asked to provide biometric data the first time they cross an EU external border after 1 January. Once enrolled, subsequent crossings should be faster, but DFAT expects teething problems in the early weeks, particularly at peak-holiday airports in Spain, Italy and Greece.
Australian travellers who want extra reassurance before departure can turn to VisaHQ’s Australian portal (https://www.visahq.com/australia/) for step-by-step guidance on Europe’s evolving entry rules. The platform tracks EES and the forthcoming ETIAS requirements, offers document checks, and allows users to obtain any necessary authorisations online—saving time at the airport and reducing the risk of last-minute surprises.
For corporate-mobility managers the timing is awkward: January is high season for project kick-offs and winter trade fairs. Travel-management companies are advising clients to allow at least an extra hour for immigration clearance and to build larger buffers into connecting itineraries. Employers with posted staff in Europe should remind dependants re-entering after the Christmas break that EES data collection is separate from airline ‘‘Advance Passenger Information’’ and cannot be completed online in advance.
Airlines and airports have spent months installing self-service kiosks and adapting eGate software, but labour unions in France and Germany have warned of potential slow-downs if staffing levels are not increased. The European Commission acknowledges the risk but insists the system will reduce fraud and overstays in the long run. A second layer—the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS)—is now slated for spring 2026, meaning Australian travellers will eventually need both an ETIAS pre-authorisation and EES biometric registration.
DFAT’s advice is straightforward: check passport validity (minimum six months), arrive early, and monitor Smartraveller updates. Business travellers connecting through London should note that the United Kingdom is not part of EES, but Eurostar and ferry-port passengers heading on to continental Europe will be screened.
