Two weeks after Italy activated the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) at all external borders, non-EU passengers are still facing waits of up to three hours at Rome-Fiumicino, Milan-Malpensa, Pisa and Florence, according to on-the-ground reports compiled by travel site Stamped Nomad on 23 April. First-time entrants must submit a facial photo and four fingerprints before clearing passport control; repeat visits should be quicker but kiosk glitches and staff shortages are slowing the process. The delays have already caused missed connections for 122 Ryanair passengers at Bergamo and multiple EasyJet departures in Milan, raising the prospect of EU 261 compensation claims that carriers may resist on the grounds of ‘extraordinary circumstances’. Airlines are now advising non-EU travellers to arrive at least three hours before departure—double the former guideline for Schengen flights.
![Biometric EES Rollout Triggers One- to Three-Hour Queues at Italy’s Main Airports]()
For travellers who want to make certain all documentation is in order before reaching the airport, VisaHQ offers a convenient online platform that verifies Schengen eligibility, assists with Italian visa or residence-permit applications, and keeps track of remaining Schengen days—see https://www.visahq.com/italy/ for details.
Business-travel programmes must adapt quickly. Travel managers should update booking tools to flag longer minimum connexion times, alert employees to carry Italian residence permits if they have them (these can qualify for faster lanes), and educate staff on keeping the EES registration QR-code handy for exit formalities. Employers should also remind frequent travellers that the automated system will strictly enforce the 90-in-180-day Schengen rule, increasing overstay liability. Italian border police say additional self-service kiosks are being installed at Fiumicino and Malpensa ahead of the summer rush, while the EU plans to pilot a pre-registration smartphone app from May. Until throughput improves, however, companies should budget extra dwell time and consider scheduling important meetings the day after arrival to mitigate risk.
For travellers who want to make certain all documentation is in order before reaching the airport, VisaHQ offers a convenient online platform that verifies Schengen eligibility, assists with Italian visa or residence-permit applications, and keeps track of remaining Schengen days—see https://www.visahq.com/italy/ for details.
Business-travel programmes must adapt quickly. Travel managers should update booking tools to flag longer minimum connexion times, alert employees to carry Italian residence permits if they have them (these can qualify for faster lanes), and educate staff on keeping the EES registration QR-code handy for exit formalities. Employers should also remind frequent travellers that the automated system will strictly enforce the 90-in-180-day Schengen rule, increasing overstay liability. Italian border police say additional self-service kiosks are being installed at Fiumicino and Malpensa ahead of the summer rush, while the EU plans to pilot a pre-registration smartphone app from May. Until throughput improves, however, companies should budget extra dwell time and consider scheduling important meetings the day after arrival to mitigate risk.
