Greece to Exempt British Tourists from Biometric Entry Checks This Summer

In The News

21.04.2026

Eirini Notara

Greece has announced that British travellers will be exempt from biometric checks when entering the country this summer.

Visitors from the United Kingdom will not be required to provide fingerprints or facial recognition data, even as the new Entry/Exit System (EES) begins rolling out across Europe, a decision expected to significantly streamline arrivals for one of Greece's largest groups of international tourists.

What Is the Entry/Exit System (EES)?

The Entry/Exit System, introduced in April 2026, is a digital border control initiative introduced by the European Union to modernize how non-EU travellers are processed at external borders. Under the new system, visitors from non-EU countries are required to submit biometric data, including fingerprints and facial scans, upon both entry and exit. The EES replaces traditional passport stamping with a fully digital process, designed to enhance border security, improve tracking of short-stay visits, and reduce illegal overstays across the Schengen Area.

What the Exemption Means for UK Travelers

Despite the system’s official rollout, Greece has announced that holders of UK passports will be exempt from biometric data collection during the summer travel season. British visitors will continue to go through manual passport checks, similar to pre-EES procedures. This means that instead of providing fingerprints and facial recognition data, UK tourists will have their passports scanned and stamped by border officials as normal.

According to Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, the decision is aimed at easing congestion and reducing waiting times at busy entry points. As British travellers represent one of the largest groups of non-EU visitors to Greece each year and with millions arriving annually, especially during the summer, authorities are keen to avoid bottlenecks that could harm the tourism experience.

How Entry Procedures Will Work in Practice

As the summer travel season approaches, dedicated passport control lanes are expected to be set up at major Greek airports to separate British arrivals from other non-EU travellers. This will allow UK nationals to move through border control as before, while travellers from other non-EU countries, will be processed through the EES registration equipment.

Why This Matters

The United Kingdom ranks as Greece's largest source of international visitors, with 5.3 million arrivals recorded in 2024 according to INSETE data. At that scale, a full EES rollout would have carried considerable consequences: longer queues, added friction, and a noticeably different entry experience for millions of travellers each summer. By maintaining the existing arrival procedures for UK nationals, Greece aims to protect the flow of one of its most important visitor groups at a moment when tourism remains central to the national economy.

A Focus on Smoother Travel Experiences

As Greece prepares for another peak summer season, the exemption of British travellers from the Entry/Exit System underscores a clear focus on maintaining fast and uncomplicated border procedures for one of its most important visitor groups. By keeping the arrival process familiar and avoiding additional biometric requirements, the country aims to ensure that UK tourists continue to experience smooth entry into Greece, supporting both convenience for travellers and the ongoing strength of its tourism sector.

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