EU Entry-Exit System Rollout Sparks Border Delays in Italy and Portugal

The European Union's newly implemented Entry-Exit System (EES), launched on May 3, 2026, has triggered significant border delays at major airports in Italy and Portugal, affecting travelers from non-EU countries, including those monitoring the latest travel advisory Serbia guidelines. Rome's Fiumicino and Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airports reported queues exceeding three hours as border agents processed biometric data—fingerprints and facial scans—for the first time on a large scale. This digital overhaul aims to track overstays more effectively but has overwhelmed underprepared infrastructure. In Italy, passengers described chaotic scenes at passport control, with families missing flights and business travelers stuck overnight. Portugal's delays rippled into rail connections, stranding groups heading to Porto. Officials attribute the bottlenecks to a surge in summer travel volumes clashing with mandatory EES registrations, which replace manual passport stamps. Current travel advisory Serbia updates now urge citizens to arrive four hours early for Schengen entries, highlighting risks for Balkan routes often transiting these hubs. EU authorities promise software upgrades and additional staffing by week's end to ease the crunch, while advising non-EU visitors to complete pre-registration apps where available. Airlines like Ryanair and ITA Airways have issued waivers for missed connections. Travelers should check real-time border wait times via official apps to avoid disruptions on this critical corridor.