Australian travellers heading to Europe will now face mandatory biometric registration as the European Union rolls out a new border-crossing process.
The new digital Entry/Exit system (EES), which launched October 12, is an automated IT system used to register non-EU travellers to the 29-country Schengen area.
The EES replaces manual passport stamps with a digital recognition process that requires a passport, fingerprint scans, and facial recognition.
Director of Media at Australian Travel Industry Association, LJ Loch, said the process will improve travel speeds.
“Once travellers complete their first registration, future crossings will be faster and more efficient,” Director Loch said.
Traveller data collected during registration will be secure, she said.
“We trust the EU will maintain strong data protections, and our members are advising travellers to only use official government websites and trusted links to avoid scams or misuse of their information.”
Long-time flyer Lucas Loncar said the collection of traveller information requires caution.
“There’s no system that’s completely immune to breaches or misuse, so it’s definitely sensitive information,” Mr Loncar said.
“I definitely think it will influence me going forward.”
“It’s very personal, so I think strict safeguards and transparency are very essential to protect travellers’ privacy,” he said.
