Longer Queues Await British Tourists Traveling to France Due to New Digital Checks, Brexit impact on British tourists traveling to France, Travel expert insights, Cour de Comptes report, Post-Brexit regulations
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British tourists traveling from the UK to France are anticipated to encounter longer queues, doubling the wait time, owing to the implementation of new digital checks following Brexit. The Cour de Comptes, France’s public finance watchdog, has released a report indicating that the EU’s entry/exit scheme will result in extended queues for British tourists. The upcoming checks for non-EU citizens, which includes British citizens, will involve processing all their data and documents before gaining entry to the EU.
France has placed orders for over 500 “data kiosks” and 250 tablets to manage travelers crossing the border by ferry, train, and plane. As part of the system launch, travelers will be required to undergo photo and fingerprinting procedures, doubling the processing time compared to passport stamping. Following the kiosk procedure, tourists will need to present their passports to border officials.
Paul Charles, CEO of the travel consultancy firm, the PC agency, emphasized the importance of seamless entry into Europe, cautioning that the processing of passengers at various entry points must be expedited to prevent unbearable queues during peak periods.
Travel expert Simon Calder noted that the extended queues should not come as a surprise, given that the UK Government negotiated for British passport holders to be classified as third-country citizens. British travelers planning to vacation in the EU will soon need to register for the ETIAS scheme, costing seven euros (£5.98) every three years. The scheme, a part of new EU border security measures, is expected to process the majority of applications within minutes. However, there might be cases where Britons need to attend in-person interviews. The ETIAS is set to be rolled out next year and will be applicable to all non-EU citizens, including British citizens. Currently, under post-Brexit regulations, British citizens can travel to the EU for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without requiring a visa.
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