Greece backtracks on EES border check exemption for British holidaymakers

The ancient Parthenon temple on Acropolis hill in Athens, one of Greece’s top attractions (Picture: Getty Images)

Nobody seems to know what’s going on with Greece’s borders this summer — not even its most senior tourism officials.

Greece has rejected reports that British passport holders will be exempt from biometric screening system at its airports during peak season.

The EU’s new Entry-Exit System, or EES, began operating at Greek airports and other entry points on April 10 as part of a Europe-wide rollout, replacing passport stamps with biometric data collected through photos and digital fingerprints.

Greek officials visiting the UK had suggested the requirement would be waived this summer for travellers from Britain, an important market for Greece’s tourism industry.

Greece’s tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said the government did not want visitors ‘burdened’ by bureaucracy and promised that Brits would be ‘fast-tracked’ through the system.

Greece broke its own tourism records in 2025: 37.98 million international visitors and €22.4 billion in revenue, according to data from the Bank of Greece (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)

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The Greek Embassy went further. It said that as of April 10, 2026, British passport holders were exempt from biometric registration at Greek border crossings.

Eleni Skarveli, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, said the move would ‘ensure a smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece’ and slash waiting times.

He said that Brits would no longer need to complete extra EES procedures.

That position even matched UK government advice.

The Foreign Office told travellers that Greek authorities would not collect biometric data from UK visitors under the new system.

Current travel guidance from the FCDO states: ‘Greek authorities have indicated that they will not collect biometric data (fingerprints and photos) for UK travellers as part of EES. Follow the advice of authorities on the ground.’

Fteri beach in Kefalonia, Greece, recently voted the most beautiful in Europe (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

However, European and Greek authorities later clarified that suspension of the system will be permitted only during ‘periods of high passenger traffic’.

Exemptions do not apply to any country or nationality, they added.

‘We have not received any further update or clarification as to whether, for example, specific nationalities are temporarily exempt from the relevant procedure,’ a spokesperson for the Greek Foreign Ministry told AP.

Metro has approached the Greek Foreign Ministry, the Greek Tourism Ministry and the UK Foreign Office for comment.

Given that thousands of UK travellers arrive daily on islands such as Corfu, Crete and Rhodes, the idea of scrapping EES checks had been welcomed.

It also led some to believe other Mediterranean countries could follow suit for the busy summer period.

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Travellers already reported queues of up to two hours at passport control since EES started rolling out in some European countries late last year.

But airline groups have warned that these waits could double to four hours as holiday traffic increases into the summer season.

Luke Petherbridge, director of public affairs at Abta, the travel agent and tour operator association, said: ‘What we have said to customers is that, because of the checks, you might need to prepare for delays with extra water and snacks.’

In April, holidaymakers were left vomiting and fainting in a queue from hell at Milan’s Linate airport.

Around 100 easyJet customers were stranded due to delays caused by new EU border checks.

Outrage erupted after passengers were left in hours-long queues at Milan’s Linate Airport in April (Picture: Will Scott/TikTok)

The airline said the disorder was ‘outside of our control’ and even delayed takeoff by almost an hour to try to give passengers extra time to board.

Still, plenty of Brits were forced to find alternative routes home after some only discovered they had missed their flight once it had taken off without them.

What is the EU’s new Entry/Exit system?

The entry and exit system (EES) is a digital system that replaces passport stamping at border control across the European Union.

People with passports from non-EU countries, including the UK, are required to use the system once it launches.

Most travellers from outside the EU, known as third-country nationals, will be required to register their passport details and biometric data when crossing into an EU country for the first time.

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Biometric data includes fingerprints and facial pictures. Borders are likely to be kitted with self-service kiosks where passengers can input this information.

This data, as well as the entry and exit details, will be stored for subsequent visits.

Future visits will only require a verification of the biometric data, which can speed up the process.

Border officials will then also ask extra questions about accommodation, whether travellers have enough money for the trip, insurance and a return ticket.

Children are not exempt from the checks, although children under 12 do not need to give fingerprints; however they will also need to have their face scanned.

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