Greece has decided to exempt holders of British passports from the obligatory biometric data registration at the country’s border crossing points. Fingerprints and facial image have to be registered under the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) in effect since April 10, 2026 across 29 European countries.
According to euronews.com, the Embassy of Greece in London said in a statement on its website: “We would like to inform you that within the framework of the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System (ESS) as of April 10th 2026, British passport holders are excluded from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points.”
Euronews.com has reached out to the Greek Embassy in London for clarification on whether this exemption also applies to other third-country nationals.
For Eleni Skarveli, the director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, the move aims to ensure a “smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece”, The Independent newspaper reported.
She also expects the exemption to “significantly reduce waiting times and ease congestion at airports”.
The EES, which is aimed at helping prevent identity theft and other serious crimes, came into full effect on 10 April across 29 European countries.
After the official rollout, Milan’s Linate airport experienced hours-long queues that resulted in just 34 passengers out of 156 boarding a Manchester-bound flight.
Tourists from the UK increased by nearly 8% with 4.89 million visitors, who contributed €3.74 billion in tourist spending. Olga Kefalogianni, Greece’s Minister for Tourism, dubbed 2025 the “best year ever” for the sector.
According to latest information, Brussels is not happy about Greece’s decision and citing sources media reported the Brits’ exception would be implemented for a couple of hours per day, but not on 24/7 basis.
