Process at ports, airports and railway stations

Larger French airports, Paris’s Gare du Nord and the Eurotunnel terminal near Calais have kiosks where travellers who have biometric passports can enter some of the data required by the EES. 

This can include answering short questions about their travel plans – and having a photo and right-hand fingerprint scan taken. There is an English-language option. 

The traveller still, however, has to pass a border official’s desk for a final check that they are the person shown on the passport. In addition, Britons, Americans and many other nationalities can avoid the step of having to pass before a border official’s desk on subsequent entries and exits by using the Parafe passport e-gates where these exist. 

France made full use of the chance to ‘phase in’ the start and launched a scaled down EES on October 12.

Air passengers

Air passengers can expect to find EES in operation at all airports, but with different phase-in rules as to who is checked.

The two-stage process with preregistration booths is in place at larger airports such as Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly, and Nice. 

At small airports it is all completed at the guard’s booth, as there is no pre-registration equipment. 

The EU’s Travel to Europe app may help collect some data for those opting to use it, but is still not in use in France. 

Contrary to initial reports, fingerprints do not have to be taken again by border guards where kiosks exist. EES does not apply at British, American or other foreign airports.

Ferry passengers

Ferry passengers register on entry/exit from French ports or at Dover where French checks are carried out on UK soil. 

At Dover (France bound) EES was operational from day one for lorries and coaches, with other passengers affected from November 1. 

Coaches are directed to halls on the western docks, and passengers get out to use self-service kiosks to enter their data before they pass through a border. 

The coach is then ‘sealed’ and proceeds to the check-in area at the ferry terminal. Cars are directed to a new area near the coach building, where they pull up. Occupants get out and go into a building to pre-register at kiosks and give biometrics. They then drive to the eastern docks for final border checks. 

On subsequent exits, once people are in the system, they go straight to the eastern docks. 

At Calais (UK bound) EES initially affected lorry drivers, who are registered in EES at the point at which they pass the border guard’s booth, and some coaches – 10-20% but gradually increasing. 

Selected coaches are directed to an area where passengers get off the coach and use kiosks to pre-register in a dedicated building (the same building as already used for border checks for coaches), before the coach then travels on to the border. 

Travellers in cars are checked after passing their check-in with the ferry company and before passing the border guard’s booth. 

Foot and coach passengers must get out to use kiosks.

Eurostar

Eurostar passengers are processed at London St Pancras on going to France, or at Paris’ Gare du Nord on trips to the UK.  

Travellers affected are asked to: 

• Read guidance that will be provided on booking, so they know what to expect

• Scan their passports at self-service kiosks on arrival. These also take a fingerprint scan and a facial photo. 

• Wait in a departures area before being called to a security barrier for luggage scans 

• Pass in front of UK border guards

• Pass in front of French border police A Eurostar spokesman said it aimed to minimise the impact on clients. 

Eurotunnel

Eurotunnel travellers will have EES checks at Folkestone, England on heading to France and at Coquelles, France, on going to the UK. 

Operators Getlink report installing a total of 224 kiosks on the two sides and 7,000m2 of covered drivethrough pre-registration zones. 

It began registering coach passengers on October 12 as well as commercial (freight) traffic.

Cars are directed towards these areas, where each individual vehicle bay is equipped with two kiosks. The driver and passenger/s get out to use them. An automated system is in place to read number plates to direct drivers appropriately, depending on the information supplied on booking.