British holidaymakers visiting Greece this year face new rules to entry the country, the has warned.

A new Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to launch across countries in from October 2025 that will require to register their fingerprints and a facial photo at the border on arrival. The EES system, which will apply to all non-EU nationals when visiting 29 countries in the , was initially due to start in 2024 but it was delayed. It is instead now scheduled to begin in October, although a specific start date is yet to be announced by the European Union.

The EES will replace the current system of manually stamping passports with biometric data and the UK Foreign Office is now alerting British tourists that is due to come into effect later this year.

In an update to its travel advice for Greece, the UK Foreign Office said: "The EU plans to introduce the Entry/Exit system (EES). This is a new digital border system that will change requirements for British nationals travelling to the Schengen area.

"If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, when you arrive. EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU.

"EES is expected to start in October 2025. It is not currently in operation. The European Union will inform about the specific start date of the EES before its launch."

Once the EES is in force, holidaymakers will need to create a digital record on their first visit to the Schengen area at the port or airport when they arrive, which will include submitting fingerprints and having a photo taken.

It is expected that the launch will result in longer queues at the border in Greece as the EES registration is completed, but the Foreign Office said tourists don't need to provide any information before travelling to a Schengen area.

The EES digital record will remain valid for three years, so if you visit a Schengen area again during this period you'll only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border when you enter and exit.

The new system is designed to improve border security within the EU and its neighbouring countries by stopping visitors overstaying, and to reduce illegal migration within the Schengen area.

The EU says for the purpose of the EES, 'non-EU national' means a traveller not holding the nationality of any European Union country or the nationality of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, and 'short stay' means up to 90 days within any 180-day period. This period is calculated as a single period for all the European countries using the EES.

Entries and exits, or entry refusals will be electronically registered in the EES, but in Cyprus and Ireland - despite being countries of the EU - passports will still be stamped manually.