Biometric verification for UK travelers: UK implements fingerprint checks at border control
Port of Dover's Temporary Biometric Hiccup and Its Implications
Doug Bannister, the mastermind behind the Port of Dover, has shed some light on the reason behind the delay in operations - a stroke of bad luck with the EU's high-tech biometric app. This hitch means that travellers opting for a boat ride will need to bid farewell to their vehicles and endure manual verifications involving fingerprint checks and snapshots.
As per the initial estimates, this additional hurdle is projected to extend car journey times by an extra six minutes compared to the typical trip. However, skeptics harbor doubts that the extra time will not apply to the truck driver brigade, numbering over 10,000 daily at the Port of Dover.
Understanding the Impact
The delay in the EU's high-tech biometric app shifts the focus back to traditional, manual verification methods, causing a ripple effect on car journey times:
- Manual Verification: Farewell to the convenient, automated checks we've been cherishing. Till the Entry/Exit System (EES) sees the light of day, likely from November 2025, passengers are in for a bumpier ride with lengthy queues and longer wait times.
- Car Journey Times: Manual verification processes are, by nature, more time-consuming than the automated checks. This shift is expected to inflate car journey times through the Port of Dover.
Comparing Truck drivers and Passengers
Though truck drivers undergo more rigorous customs checks due to their cargo, the main worry here revolves around passenger traffic and biometric identity verification.
- Different Games, Same Court: While truck drivers still face the broad brunt of border congestion, the specific impact of the biometric app delay is more evident in the passenger sector, where biometric checks have recently taken center stage.
Future Predictions
Once the EES and biometric app are up and running, both passengers and truck drivers can look forward to a smoother, more efficient process. The EES will automate numerous checks, potentially minimizing congestion and reducing wait times at border crossings like the Port of Dover[2][4]. Until then, manual verification processes will continue to haul us through the delays.
The delay in the Europen Union's high-tech biometric app forces a change in lifestyle for travelers, as they will likely experience longer manual verifications involving fingerprint checks and photos before departing from the Port of Dover, which may also extend car journey times[1]. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether the increased travel time will affect the truck drivers, who number more than 10,000 daily at the Port of Dover[1]. In the future, when the Entry/Exit System (EES) is operational, likely from November 2025, passengers and truck drivers can expect a more efficient process with significantly reduced wait times due to automated checks[3].
