UK PM Plans Asking EU to Let British Holidaymakers Pass Through Passport E-Gates
According to Telegraph sources, the Government plans on calling on the EU Member States to follow the example led by Spain and Portugal and allow British holidaymakers to be able to visit these destinations using e-gates, AtoZSerwisPlus.pt reports.
The British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, is dedicated to continuing the success of the Windsor Framework and to improving relations with Brussels in efforts to secure less troublesome travel to Europe for UK holidaymakers.
“We always want to look at ways to minimise unnecessary waiting times, whether it is coming into the UK or travelling overseas,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said.
On the other hand, British diplomats have recently had talks with the Commission about the consequences that the new “Entry/Exit” system can have for the UK. Under the scheme, arrivals from outside the EU will have their fingerprints scanned; people will have their pictures taken – all recorded on the first entry into the bloc and verified in the following visits.
Reintroducing passport stamps and more stringent documentation checks for Britons after Brexit has created havoc in checking points, while the travel industry has warned that the biometric scans can cause long queues and chaos for British holidaymakers, especially those making ferry crossings between Dover and Calais, France.
British authorities haven’t made any formal approach about the UK-EU deal to open up passport e-gates for Britons, and serious talks are unlikely to happen until the European countries finalise the Entry/Exit system.
However, British officials have already encouraged the countries to follow Spain’s and Portugal’s example, as both granted limited access to their e-gates for UK arrivals.
Sources in Brussels realised that it was too early to set out what measures could be introduced to Britons as the new EU system is still in the works.
As per Spain, Brits are required to present their ticket, prove they have enough money for their stay in the country, and show proof of accommodation in order to be able to enter the European country.
“Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit,” the Foreign Office explains.
Spain expects to receive 4.3 million British tourists in 2023, while Ibiza may welcome 3.2 million and Majorca another 2.3 million.
