Eurotunnel EES Delay: Why Drivers Still Aren’t Being Fingerprinted at the French Border

The EU’s new Entry/Exit System has quietly begun for lorries and coaches – but if you’re heading to France by car, you’re still waiting for an official start date. Here’s what’s going on.

If you’re planning a trip to France by car through the Eurotunnel anytime soon, you’ve probably heard about the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) – the one that replaces passport stamping with facial scans and fingerprint checks. It was meant to launch for all travellers this autumn.

And technically, it has started… but not for everyone

Right now, the system is only being used for lorry drivers and coach passengers. Travellers in cars are still going through the usual passport checks, as before. That wasn’t the original plan, and nearly a month after the system’s partial launch, we still don’t have a date for when car passengers will join the queue.

Eurotunnel’s parent company, Getlink, says the situation is simple:
they’re ready, but they’re waiting for the French authorities to decide when the change actually happens.

“For passenger vehicles the timing of the EES launch is determined by the authorities,” a spokesperson explained. “The EU framework provides flexibility, allowing the French authorities to choose the most appropriate date for managing passenger traffic.”

In other words: the system is built, tested, and switched on – but France decides when holidaymakers start using it.

So, who will need to use EES when it begins?

The new checks apply to non-EU travellers, including:

British passport holders
People visiting (not living in) France or the wider Schengen Area

If you are resident in France or another Schengen country, you’re not affected – as long as you can prove it with the correct ID or residency document.

The first time you cross under the new system, you’ll need to:

Scan your passport
Have your face photographed
Give fingerprints

Once done, your data is stored for future trips, which should make travel slightly quicker next time. That’s the idea, at least.

Why the delay for cars?

Several EU countries – including France – previously admitted they weren’t ready for full implementation on the original target date in 2024.

To avoid chaos at peak travel times, the EU approved a phased introduction over summer 2025. The plan was:

Start with freight and coach travel.
Add private cars a few weeks later, once everything was running smoothly.

And so far, for freight and coaches, things seem to be working ‘smoothly, quickly and efficiently,’ according to Getlink.

But when it comes to private cars, authorities are being very cautious. A poorly timed rollout could easily lead to long queues at Folkestone and Calais – something nobody wants in the lead-up to the Christmas getaway.

The Port of Dover has also confirmed that while it is prepared, it won’t activate the system for cars until France gives the green light – and it wants at least two weeks’ notice before that happens. Right now, that hasn’t happened.

So if you’re driving soon:
nothing changes (yet).

But there is a deadline coming

The EU won’t allow delays forever. Under the phased introduction rules:

By mid-November, at least 10 per cent of applicable border crossings must be processed with EES.
By mid-January, that number rises to 35 per cent.
And within six months, EES must be fully operational at French entry points.

There’s also only a two-month window where border officers can run EES without doing the full biometric checks. After that, fingerprints and facial scans become compulsory.

So, while the start date for cars hasn’t been announced yet, it can’t be pushed back endlessly.
When it comes, it’s coming quickly.

What this means if you’re planning to travel soon

Car passengers are still using standard passport checks.
Coach passengers and lorry drivers are already on EES.

But once cars switch over, travellers should expect:

Longer processing times on the first trip
Possible queues during peak travel periods
Improved speed after your first registration

If you’re travelling for Christmas, winter holidays or half-term, the exact timing could make a noticeable difference.

We’ll be watching the situation closely and will report immediately when a confirmed start date is announced.