Latest news with #PortOfDover
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Why you might need your fingerprint scanned to go on holiday in Europe
British citizens will be required to have their fingerprints scanned whenever they go to the European Union due to delays in the development of digital biometrics software. Every UK passenger entering the Schengen area will need to exit their car to be photographed and fingerprinted individually. A spokesperson for the Port of Dover, which facilitates transit and trade with countries like France and the Netherlands, told The Independent the plans will be rolled out in the autumn. This is because a new biometric entry-check system for non-EU citizens was expected to be implemented last year, but this has been postponed. The Independent initially reported on the delay to the new system at the end of 2024, with suggestions that the demand for fingerprints may quietly be dropped. Doug Bannister, the port's chief executive, told The Guardian it will be 'business as usual' this summer but said 'a big change' in travel will be phased in from November. An individual's fingerprint or a picture of their face will be checked alongside their passport number on every trip. The technology is being utilised to eliminate "wet stamping" of passports and enable an automated recording of the duration of visitors' stays in mainland Europe. In time, an app installed on UK Border Force tablets is intended to be passed into the car to verify each person's fingerprints. However, Mr Bannister said the app, which has been developed by the EU's border agency Frontex, 'won't be ready any time before November, but hopefully it could come swiftly after that'. Frontex said it was up to each member state to implement its use. Mr Bannister admitted 'second, third, fourth time travellers still need to have a biometric captured at the border'. This means that passengers will still be required to step out of their vehicles every time until the app is ready. There will be significant infrastructure improvements in Kent in an effort to reduce disruptions to cross-border transport. To accommodate passengers getting off cars and buses, the Port of Dover is reclaiming 13 hectares of land. In a solution supported by the UK and French governments, the port said it will create a virtual system around 1.5 miles across the port's surrounding area for checks. Mr Bannister is certain that the upcoming inspections at the port, which handles up to 10,000 trucks and 15,000 passenger cars every day during the summer, will require only an extra six minutes to each trip.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
UK holidaymakers will be fingerprinted each time they visit EU – with lengthy checks taking 6 minutes
BRITS heading to Europe this year will face lengthy checks as fingerprinting is issued each time they cross the border. The manual ID checks will be rolled out in November and affect thousands of motorists driving from the UK to Europe. 1 Those driving across the border will be asked to get out of their vehicle to be photographed and fingerprinted, adding up to six minutes to journey times. The big change will be phased in from November and will see "significant infrastructure" being built to support the thousands of people getting out of cars and buses. Operators say the system is a way of getting rid of stamping passports and keeping visitors' information digitally recorded. The manual checks come as Dover waits for the launch of an app being developed by Frontex, the European border agency. The app will eventually minimise queues and won't require passengers' to get out of their vehicles. Border control will be given a tablet which they will pass through cars to verify individuals' identity. But according to Doug Bannister, the chief executive of the Port of Dover, the app won't be ready "any time before November". This means second, third, fourth time travellers still need to have a biometric captured at the border, he told The Guardian. This comes as the UK government confirmed a new deal that will allow UK holidaymakers to use the much faster e-gates when visiting Europe. The talks mean Brits can join other EU tourists in the shorter queues. The New EU entry-exit system and EuropeTravel Visa (ETIAS) explained The Prime Minister said: "We will be and are pressing to get on with this straight away. "Because for holiday makers wanting to get out this summer, they will want to know that they can do so easily, without delay and chaos." Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted to see the deal done "as soon as possible" claiming there was now no "inhibition" to it getting done. He said: "Today's deal will also help British holidaymakers, confirming that they will be able to use e-gates when they travel to Europe, ending those huge queues at passport control. "And I call on all EU members to help make this a reality without delay.' The government said: "British holidaymakers will be able to use more e-gates in Europe, ending the dreaded queues at border control." Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, added: "This is excellent news for British holidaymakers and will enable an even smoother passenger experience for families travelling to the EU."
