New European Travel System Causes Major Delays for Tunisians and Others

Europe's new Entry/Exit System (EES), fully operational since April 2026, is encountering significant challenges during the peak summer travel season, leading to lengthy queues at major airports. The system, designed to enhance border security by digitally recording entries and exits, is causing substantial delays for travelers.

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The new European Entry and Exit System (EES), fully operational since April 2026, is experiencing its first large-scale difficulties in the middle of the summer season. Queues of up to several hours have been reported at some major European airports.

The EES replaces traditional passport stamps with a digital record, capturing travelers' data, facial images, and fingerprints. This biometric registration applies to non-European nationals making short stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period. While intended to improve tracking of stay durations and bolster security, the system's implementation has resulted in wait times of up to two hours at airports like Frankfurt and Amsterdam, according to recent reports.

Airlines and airport organizations had previously warned of potential congestion issues with the new system. The severity of the delays varies across Europe, influenced by factors such as airport infrastructure, staffing levels, passenger volume, and the specific implementation of the EES. Despite these challenges, the system is designed to allow authorities to better monitor who enters and exits the Schengen Area and for how long.

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The device concerns third-country nationals traveling for a short stay, i.e., up to 90 days over a period of 180 days.

Tunisian nationals are among those directly impacted by the EES. As citizens of a third country, they are subject to the new registration requirements when traveling to participating European countries for short stays. Importantly, holding a short-stay visa does not exempt Tunisian travelers from the EES registration process, meaning they must undergo the new biometric checks upon arrival.

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For Tunisian travelers, this development is particularly important. Tunisia being a third country, Tunisian nationals traveling to countries using the EES for a short stay are concerned by the device, subject to the exemptions provided for by European regulations.