Travelers from the U.S. won’t need a travel permit to enter the EU this year after all. This announcement is more than just bureaucratic delay.
European vacation destinations will soon require travelers to have prints of their fingers taken as well as photos upon arrival. All data will be saved.
France, Italy, Portugal, the United Kingdom and 25 other countries will begin implementing the new Entry/Exit System (EES) on Oct. 12 over the course of about six months.
The area includes plus four non-EU members: Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.
“These European countries will introduce the different elements of the EES in phases, including the collection of biometric data, such as facial image and fingerprints,” the European Union’s (EU) website notes.
“This means that biometric data (facial image and fingerprints) might not be collected at every border crossing point right away, and their personal information may not be registered in the system,” it continued.
Travelers’ passports will continue to be stamped as usual, according to the EU.
Ross Bennett-Cook, a visiting lecturer at the University of Westminster, recently said carbon passports could become a reality at some point, according to BelfastLive.
Carbon passports would allocate a personal annual carbon allowance for United Kingdom residents.
