Long queues have formed at Prague airport as the new EU entry-exit system begins, requiring biometrics for all "third-country nationals." The system is being gradually implemented across Europe, but the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Luxembourg have started from the outset. Prague airport, the busiest location applying the system fully, faced significant delays as biometric data collection began.

 

Passengers arriving from countries like the UK, Turkey, Egypt, and the UAE experienced waits as passport control staff recorded biometrics manually instead of using newly installed machines. Initial reports from passengers noted an hour-long wait for biometrics collection at Prague's Terminal 1. Later reports indicated queues extending up to 90 minutes, prompting authorities to allow some UK and Australian passport holders to use the EU channels to ease congestion.

 

The entry-exit system applies to both incoming and outgoing travelers, but some departures did not require biometric recording, as observed by passengers leaving for destinations like Leeds Bradford. The Schengen area member states have 180 days to comply fully with the system, which stores biometrics in a central EU database.

 

Travel industry leaders anticipate challenges with the new system. Ryanair's CEO, Michael O’Leary, and Abta's CEO, Mark Tanzer, warned of potential delays. Julia Lo Bue-Said of Advantage Travel Partnership advised travelers to allow extra time when planning their journeys.

 

Key Takeaways

• New EU entry-exit system causes queues at Prague airport.
• Manual biometric collection led to significant delays.
• Travel industry leaders warn of ongoing issues and advise extra preparation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Independent 2025-10-12

 

 

 

Is there anyway to do it in advance?

A similar system has been implemented in China before. It's only a problem the first time, as you only need to register once.

No doubt BREXIT will get the blame....

57 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

No doubt BREXIT will get the blame....

If a Brit is standing in a long queue waiting to have their biometric clearance to pass through any EU immigration then yes BREXIT is to blame.

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

No doubt BREXIT will get the blame....

 

3 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

Incorrect again.

 

The new system is to blame but for jerks like you that doesn't fit your agenda 

 

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

If a Brit is standing in a long queue waiting to have their biometric clearance to pass through any EU immigration then yes BREXIT is to blame.

 

Chomper is correct in that the queue for EU/EEA nationals at Immigration at EU ports is (almost) invariably shorter than that the one for non-EU nationals. 

 

And yes, you are right. If we were still members of the EU we wouldn't have to worry about this so, yet another, BREXIT benefit

4 hours ago, RayC said:

 

 

 

Chomper is correct in that the queue for EU/EEA nationals at Immigration at EU ports is (almost) invariably shorter than that the one for non-EU nationals. 

 

And yes, you are right. If we were still members of the EU we wouldn't have to worry about this so, yet another, BREXIT benefit

 

 

I thought you might crawl out of the woodwork on this one....

 

 

There are no such thing as EU nationals.....citizens of France, Germany etc yes.

4 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

I thought you might crawl out of the woodwork on this one....

 

 

There are no such thing as EU nationals.....citizens of France, Germany etc yes.

 

Crawled out of nothing. Been here in full view ever since we made the disastrous decision to leave the EU.

 

Your comment about 'EU nationals' is at best, pedantic. Do you prefer the term 'EU citizen' instead?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_citizenship

 

I know that facts are hard for Brexiters to stomach. Maybe you're the one who needs to hide in the woodwork.

Good to see some EU countries finally taking border security seriously. It might actually reduce the number of benefit seekers, sorry I mean asylum seekers fleeing the brutal war in Calais for the handouts, sorry I mean the safety of Britain. 😄

 

It also provides another chance to laugh at some Remainer tears from the usual suspects. 

These are the ones that need to be double checked! ☻☻☻☻🤔

 

but some departures did not require biometric recording, as observed by passengers leaving for destinations like Leeds Bradford

Great. Fingerprinting criminals - sorry, free citizens - to add to a national database is not my idea of democracy.

18 hours ago, RayC said:

 

Crawled out of nothing. Been here in full view ever since we made the disastrous decision to leave the EU.

 

Your comment about 'EU nationals' is at best, pedantic. Do you prefer the term 'EU citizen' instead?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_citizenship

 

I know that facts are hard for Brexiters to stomach. Maybe you're the one who needs to hide in the woodwork.

 

There are no citizens of Europe, if there were Britons would be included.

 

No such thing as EU citizens because the EU is not a country.

 

Do you ever hear Thais saying that they are ASEAN citizens?

 

NO…..9

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

There are no citizens of Europe, if there were Britons would be included.

 

No such thing as EU citizens because the EU is not a country.

 

Do you ever hear Thais saying that they are ASEAN citizens?

 

NO…..9

 

"The European Union citizenship is a legal status afforded to all nationals of member states of the European Union (EU). It was formally created with the adoption of the 1992 Maastricht Treaty, at the same time as the creation of the EU. EU citizenship is additional to, as it does not replace, national citizenship.[1][2] It affords EU citizens with rights, freedoms and legal protections available under EU law."

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union_citizenship

 

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

There are no citizens of Europe, if there were Britons would be included.

 

No such thing as EU citizens because the EU is not a country.

 

Do you ever hear Thais saying that they are ASEAN citizens?

 

NO…..9

1 hour ago, hotandsticky said:

 

There are no citizens of Europe, if there were Britons would be included.

 

No such thing as EU citizens because the EU is not a country.

 

Do you ever hear Thais saying that they are ASEAN citizens?

 

NO…..9

 

I have not used the phrase, 'citizens of Europe', I used the phrases, 'EU citizen' and 'EU national' and both are valid. 

 

Type 'What is the legal definition of an EU citizen?'  into a search engine. Then replace ' ..EU ..'  with ' ..ASEAN...'. The difference will be clear.

 

As I said previously, your objection is pedantic.

1 hour ago, RayC said:

 

I have not used the phrase, 'citizens of Europe', I used the phrases, 'EU citizen' and 'EU national' and both are valid. 

 

Type 'What is the legal definition of an EU citizen?'  into a search engine. Then replace ' ..EU ..'  with ' ..ASEAN...'. The difference will be clear.

 

As I said previously, your objection is pedantic.

 

...abd YOU have the gall to accuse people of pedantry.

 

Delusional!

2 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

...abd YOU have the gall to accuse people of pedantry.

 

Delusional!

 

How am I being pedantic?

 

You are the one who stated that there is no such thing as an 'EU citizen' and has effectively suggested that there is no difference  between the phrases 'EU citizen' and 'ASEAN citizen' as you claim that neither entity exists. I have simply shown that you are incorrect. That is not pedantry.

 

The fact is that you refuse to acknowledge that you are wrong - even when your errors are clearly pointed out - makes you the very definition of delusional.

8 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

 

...abd YOU have the gall to accuse people of pedantry.

 

Delusional!

 

5 hours ago, RayC said:

 

How am I being pedantic?

 

You are the one who stated that there is no such thing as an 'EU citizen' and has effectively suggested that there is no difference  between the phrases 'EU citizen' and 'ASEAN citizen' as you claim that neither entity exists. I have simply shown that you are incorrect. That is not pedantry.

 

The fact is that you refuse to acknowledge that you are wrong - even when your errors are clearly pointed out - makes you the very definition of delusional.

Reading these exchanges certainly would help pass the time in an airport queue; if it is a really long queue time can I also suggest Lord Heseltine's diatribe on leaving / rejoining the EU, given at the Tory Conference? "Butt hurt" is not a term or concept to which I particularly subscribe, but it does seem that he of the windproof smock and bouffant hair do (remember that?) hasn't sat down for several years!