The Connexion has received answers from the French Interior Ministry on the phasing in of EES border controls including whether residents with visas and residency cards will be able to continue to use Parafe gates plus plans for a pre-registration app.
Anyone who is not an EU/EEA/Swiss citizen and who is a visitor to France and/or the wider Schengen area as opposed to a resident, will need to be aware of the new procedures.
Those who live in France are not directly affected, but may be caught up in longer queues and affected by passport e-gate changes.
The ministry asked us to pass on EES queries from readers, as the October 12 start date for the EU’s new digital borders system approaches.
How will new EU border changes affect you?
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This was partly to help the ministry as it prepares a communication campaign, however we have also received answers that we share below.
The EU says member countries can roll-out the EES system in a phased or ‘progressive’ way. Will this be the case in France and, if so, do you have details of where it will start first?
France will make use of the phased approach from the first day the EES comes into service. During this six-month period, France will begin to activate the EES gradually across a wide number of airports, ports and international railway stations. Some sites will be affected from October 12. Discussions are taking place between government services and the managing organisation for each border infrastructure site.
Will the “gradual” aspect also apply to the percentage of visitors who will be subject to the procedures at a given location? (e.g. initially 20% of visitors, later 40%, etc)? Or, once the EES begins at a given location, will it apply to all passengers affected by EES at that location?
The precise details of the phased implementation will be specific to each border crossing point, depending on its particular characteristics. Each site will have its own phasing-in plan, discussed with government services.
Is it true that where there are Parafe passport e-gates, they have been adapted so that for subsequent entries and exits (not the first time after the implementation of the EES), British, American, etc visitors can use a combination of pre-registration device and Parafe and thus avoid going through a border guard booth?
Yes, eligible travellers will be able to pass through the Parafe gates.
Have you been able to adapt the Parafe gates so that they can still be used by British, American etc nationals who live in France with residency permits and/or long-stay visas? [as is currently permitted]. Or will they be required to go via a border guard’s booth to show their residence permit or passport and thus prove that they are not subject to the EES?
Once the EES comes into service, non-Schengen nationals on long-stay residency permits in France will no longer be able to use the Parafe gates.
We are aware of the implications of this measure and the government is working towards allowing these individuals to use an automated route through passport control. At this stage, work is ongoing. [Editor’s note: this means, at least initially, those with long-stay residency permits will probably have to use the ‘other passports’ lane to pass a border guard’s booth.]
Residency permit (or long-stay visa) holders will not be required to use pre-registration devices. Will you try to ensure that access to these devices is located slightly away from the actual passport queues to minimise waiting times for people who are not affected by EES?
Each border crossing site managing body will be free to organise a specific way to route members of the public eligible for EES, who may be directed to pre-registration facilities, and the non-eligible members of the public, who will be sent directly towards border guards’ booths.
Will anything change with respect to use of EU or ‘other passport’ [non-EU/non-EEA/non-Swiss] queues?
The introduction of EES does not change the current organisation. There are currently no regulatory provisions allowing for the creation of dedicated queues for certain categories of third-country nationals.
Regarding the use of the ‘Travel to Europe’ app, Frontex has mentioned trials in France in 2026. Do you have further information? In principle, will you use it?
Between now and the end of 2025 France will undertake exploratory work with Frontex on the mobile app with a view to improving it before use. At present the government cannot commit to a timetable which will also depend on our partners at Frontex.
Where there are juxtaposed checks (eg. at Paris Gare du Nord), will you consider the case of people with dual French/British nationality who want to show their French passport at French checks and their UK passport at British checks? Concerns have been raised that EES could cause problems because there are currently specific ‘British’ or ‘European’ routes through the controls.
Yes, the government has considered the case of French/British dual nationals.
British-French dual nationals will not be registered in the EES if they show their French passport when passing through French border control. They will therefore be able to use the ‘EU passport’ queue.
Similarly, these dual nationals will be free to present their UK passport at the UK border control without any difficulty.
This arrangement is solely the responsibility of the travellers concerned, so that they may use the appropriate travel document to cross an external border of the Schengen area in either direction.
We have heard from the British in Europe group, which is in contact with the EU authorities, that foreign residents of France will have to show a biometric document to be exempt from EES (ie. passport with visa, or residency card). Many five-year Withdrawal Agreement (WA) residency cards are coming up for renewal and/or many holders are now eligible to upgrade to 10-year cards. Will they be able to keep the old card until they receive a new one? What if cards expire because the holder is unable to obtain prefecture appointments in time or due to long processing times? Will they be able to show prefecture récépissé documents [which do not contain biometric data] at borders if necessary? Also, do you have information as to whether a new centralised online renewals/upgrades system is on the way?
Beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement are exempt from EES. The introduction of EES does not change the current practice for holders of WA cards and applicants for residency permits.
As for the procedures for renewing WA residence permits, we cannot give further information at this stage.
- Note while foreign people living in France are not directly affected by EES, families with under-18s are being urged to check they have a DCEM travel document.
