Heading to Europe this summer? Travelers say this new border rule is causing hours-long airport lines

The European Union's new Entry/Exit System (EES) for non-EU travelers has caused significant delays and hours-long airport lines since its full implementation in April. Travelers heading to Europe this summer are experiencing these extended waits, particularly at popular destinations like Lisbon, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Milan. The EES requires biometric screening, including face and fingerprint scans, which has replaced manual passport stamping and is leading to substantial queues. British travelers have been advised to arrive at airports up to three hours early, with potential wait times extending to six hours, according to The Independent. An official warned on Tuesday that it could take up to two years for the situation to stabilize, as some Schengen Area member states are struggling to adopt the new system, as reported by The Guardian. CNN reporter Clarissa Ward described the "chaos" at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport in late May, calling the EES rules a "disaster" for non-EU passport holders and stating the system is "completely broken." While bypassing border checks is not possible, travelers can use the official Travel to Europe app to preregister passport data and facial images, and complete entry condition questionnaires in advance to potentially streamline the process, according to the European Commission.