Foreign Office Updates Travel Advice for Spain, Greece, Italy, Portugal Amid EU System Rollout

Foreign Office Revises Travel Guidance for Multiple European Destinations

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has issued a significant update to its travel advice, affecting popular holiday destinations such as Spain, Greece, Italy, and Portugal. This change is part of a broader revision impacting nearly 30 nations, including France, Switzerland, Poland, and Germany, as announced on Friday, April 10, 2026.

New EU Entry/Exit System Implementation

The updates are driven by the rollout of the European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) across the Schengen area. According to the FCDO, this system requires travellers entering the Schengen zone for short stays to potentially register biometric details, such as fingerprints and photographs, at the border.

The FCDO clarified that no pre-arrival action or cost is involved for EES registration. Upon first entry into a Schengen country, passengers may need to use special booths to input their details before proceeding to immigration. Travel operators or border staff will provide directions, and similar biometric checks might be required upon exit.

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Key Details and Exemptions

Children aged 11 or younger are exempt from fingerprint scanning but may still need to have their photo taken. The FCDO warns that EES processing could increase border wait times, replacing the old manual passport stamping method. For UK departures via the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel at Folkestone, or Eurostar at St Pancras International, biometric data will be collected before leaving the country.

Each digital EES record remains valid for three years. The FCDO has updated its 'Entry requirements' pages with this information to ensure travellers are well-informed.