Spain’s airports have had four months to adapt to the European Union’s new Entry-Exit System (EES), but border queues are already stretching well beyond pre-pandemic levels. Since October, non-EU travellers arriving at Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat and Málaga-Costa del Sol have been funnelled through biometric kiosks that capture fingerprints, face images and passport data before agents can stamp documentation. Although only 35 % of passengers must be registered during the current transition phase, Aena reports peak waits of up to three hours when several wide-body flights land at once.
Under EU rules the transition ends on 10 April 2026, after which 100 % of third-country nationals must complete biometric enrolment. Industry groups such as ACI-Europe, Airlines for Europe and Spain’s hotel federation FEHAT urge Brussels to allow member states temporary opt-outs or staggered quotas over the busy summer. They argue that chronic understaffing of Policía Nacional border posts—already 15 % below authorised headcount—could push queueing times past five hours and lead to missed connections, compensation claims and reputational damage to Spain’s tourism brand.
![Spanish Airports Brace for Summer Surge as EU Biometric Entry-Exit System Triggers New Delays]()
The Spanish Interior Ministry says it will deploy 600 additional officers and open 160 new e-gates by June, but unions warn that training new officers on the complex IT system takes at least eight weeks. Madrid is also lobbying the Commission to permit airlines to pre-register frequent business travellers outside the EU, reducing processing time on arrival.
Travellers who want to minimise unexpected delays can turn to VisaHQ’s online portal, which tracks the latest EES updates and offers end-to-end assistance with Schengen visas and Spanish entry formalities. Corporate travel departments and individual passengers alike can have documents pre-checked by VisaHQ experts, ensuring smoother passage through biometric kiosks. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For multinationals moving talent into Spain or organising conferences on the Iberian Peninsula, the practical advice is clear: schedule longer layovers, avoid tight early-morning connections and alert travellers that passport stamping will soon disappear. Companies should also update their travel policies to reflect the new biometric data requirements and remind staff that refusing fingerprinting could result in denial of entry.
Under EU rules the transition ends on 10 April 2026, after which 100 % of third-country nationals must complete biometric enrolment. Industry groups such as ACI-Europe, Airlines for Europe and Spain’s hotel federation FEHAT urge Brussels to allow member states temporary opt-outs or staggered quotas over the busy summer. They argue that chronic understaffing of Policía Nacional border posts—already 15 % below authorised headcount—could push queueing times past five hours and lead to missed connections, compensation claims and reputational damage to Spain’s tourism brand.
The Spanish Interior Ministry says it will deploy 600 additional officers and open 160 new e-gates by June, but unions warn that training new officers on the complex IT system takes at least eight weeks. Madrid is also lobbying the Commission to permit airlines to pre-register frequent business travellers outside the EU, reducing processing time on arrival.
Travellers who want to minimise unexpected delays can turn to VisaHQ’s online portal, which tracks the latest EES updates and offers end-to-end assistance with Schengen visas and Spanish entry formalities. Corporate travel departments and individual passengers alike can have documents pre-checked by VisaHQ experts, ensuring smoother passage through biometric kiosks. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/spain/
For multinationals moving talent into Spain or organising conferences on the Iberian Peninsula, the practical advice is clear: schedule longer layovers, avoid tight early-morning connections and alert travellers that passport stamping will soon disappear. Companies should also update their travel policies to reflect the new biometric data requirements and remind staff that refusing fingerprinting could result in denial of entry.
