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Thu, 07 May 2026

Thu, 07 May 2026 Portugal and Italy will not suspend digital border checks for Brits

Reports had suggested the countries were set to follow the example of Greece, which effectively suspended biometric checks for UK nationals.

* Portugal and Italy will not exempt British nationals from biometric checks, as previously reported.
* Greece had suspended biometric checks for British citizens, but this was not a blanket exemption.
* The European Commission confirmed that all EU countries must follow the same rules on border controls.
* Despite reports of widespread delays at airports, the Commission says the Entry-Exit System has mainly been working well.
* Many passengers have missed flights due to long passport queues and biometric checks.
* Airlines have cut 13,000 flights globally for May due to soaring jet fuel prices.
* The European Union's new digital system requires most short-term visitors from outside the EU to register biometric data at borders.