The European Union’s entry-exit system (EES) for British passport holders, as well as other “third-country nationals”, took effect on Sunday 12 October. Starting on Sunday, Schengen area member states have 180 days to make all their frontiers EES-compliant. The faces and fingerprints of third-country nationals, including British passport holders, are stored on a central EU database. It aims to crack down on crime and enforce the 90-day stay limit, which applies to British travellers and other third-country nationals, within any 180-day period. Senior travel figures have warned of long waits at airports. But how does it work in practice? Simon Calder tests it out.

Il nuovo sistema biometrico rivoluziona i controlli alle frontiere Schengen per i cittadini non-UE. Ecco come funzionerà la procedura

The Entry Exit System (EES), being rolled out on Sunday, means UK travellers will need to have their fingerprints registered and photograph taken to enter the Schengen area