Brits have been urged to present one thing on their phone when they get to Portugal, and it could even prevent huge waiting times in queues when arriving in the Schengen Area
The weather has warmed up in the UK, but this doesn’t mean that people aren’t dreaming of summer days abroad to explore other cultures and dine out on delicious food.
But Brits have been warned if they’re travelling to Portugal or Sweden this year, there’s something they must do before arriving at their destination airport, or they may face serious delays when landing. There’s an app called Travel to Europe, which is free to download in app stores, and will soon be implemented across the whole Schengen area. But this summer, it’s important Brits use it to avoid huge queues.
A new system called the Entry/Exit System (EES), which is an automated digital border control system used by the European Union, is causing unexpected queues.
It registers the entry, exit, and refusal of entry for non-EU nationals (including British citizens) travelling to the Schengen Area for short stays. It replaces the manual stamping of passports.
But this app will give you a QR code that notes you’ve already answered questions about your stay – including how much money you’ll be able to access on your travels, the amount of physical cash you have, and whether you have a hotel pre-booked.
TikTok user @wadebeyondtravel explained how the system works. She said: “Are you sick of the queues when you get to Europe for the EES? If you are, then you’re gonna wanna hear this.
“So the EU have quietly released a travel app that allows you to register your biometrics before you travel, and then when you get to the other end, you will go through passport control really easily.”
She explained at the moment, it’s only available in Portugal and Sweden, so in other countries, you may have to queue for a while. However, more countries will be added soon, so it’s important you keep your notifications on in the app so you know where is being added next.
So, what exactly does the app do? It speeds up border control by letting you voluntarily pre-register your passport, take a facial scan, and answer entry questions up to 72 hours before arrival.
Questions include what your intentions are when you’re in the country, and when you’re planning on leaving, and whether or not you have a return ticket to go back to the country you came from.
You can also add other travellers onto your app, so not everybody you’re travelling with has to download the app, as long as you can get them to answer the same questions.
It then generates a QR code to be scanned at self-service border kiosks. It’s important to note it does not replace standard in-person border checks, but it can significantly reduce wait times in busy queues.
If you’re wondering who can see the personal data, the Travel to Europe website states: “Before you submit your journey, only you have access to your personal data. The border authorities of the country you have selected for your journey will only see it once you submit your journey. Any draft versions which haven’t been submitted will be automatically deleted after 7 days. The EES guarantees that your personal data is protected under EU data protection law”.
