Process at ports, airports and railway stations

Larger French airports, Paris’s Gare du Nord and the Eurotunnel terminal near Calais installed 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 may still, however, have to pass a border official’s desk for a final check that they are the person shown on the passport. Britons, Americans and many other nationalities can avoid the step of having to pass before a border official’s desk by using the Parafe passport e-gates where these exist and this is permitted. 

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

As of May 2026, the system was in theory in operation at all borders for all relevant passengers, but with some inconsistencies. 

Many borders were still operating 'partial suspensions', whereby no biometric data is collected and technical updates to kiosks were still being made, meaning that these are largely not being used as initially planned. We will update this section as and when new information comes in.

Air passengers

Air passengers can expect to find EES in operation at all airports.

Preregistration booths are installed at larger airports such as Paris Charles de Gaulle or Orly, and Nice (these were, however, generally not yet in use as of spring 2026).

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 eventually 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 (but without biometrics), with other passengers affected from spring 2026. 

Coaches are directed to the western docks, where it is intended that in due course passengers will get out to use self-service kiosks to enter their data before they pass through a border (note that as of May 2026 biometrics are not yet collected due to issues with the kiosks).

The coach is ‘sealed’ and proceeds to the check-in area at the ferry terminal.

Cars are eventually expected to be directed to a new area near the coach building, where they will pull up. 

Occupants will get out and go into a building to pre-register at kiosks and give biometrics. They will then drive to the eastern docks for final border checks (as of May 2026, this process is not being done, with EES files being created for car travellers by the border police, without biometrics).

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. 

Plans at this port included coaches being directed to an area where passengers would 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 can expect to undergo some checks after passing their check-in with the ferry company and before arriving at the border guard’s booth. 

Ports de Normandie, which manages Cherbourg, Caen-Ouistreham and Dieppe, originally said it planned to deploy tablet computers, to be handed to people in cars to complete their details before they pass a border guard’s booth for final checks.

Foot and coach passengers, would get out to use kiosks, it was planned.

Ferry ports in general have reported being hampered by lack of availability of functioning tablet computers and/or kiosks and we are awaiting updates of the process at several of these ports. 

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. 

As of spring 2026, however, the full process using kiosks is not yet in operation.

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

As of spring 2026, the kiosk-based system for collecting biometrics is not yet in place and passengers are being logged without biometrics.