With the EU’s biometric Entry/Exit System (EES) becoming mandatory across all external Schengen borders on 10 April 2026, Prague’s Václav Havel Airport has warned travellers to arrive up to three hours early. A 9 April soft-launch will see all non-EU passport holders routed through banks of self-service kiosks that capture four fingerprints and a facial image before a final inspection by border police. Czech authorities had planned a companion smartphone application to allow pre-registration, but the app is still awaiting EU security certification. Until then, passengers must complete the process on-site, raising concerns of bottlenecks during the upcoming Easter return rush. Airport operator Letiště Praha has installed 64 kiosks and retro-fitted 16 automated e-gates, yet acknowledges that first-time enrolment could add 30–45 minutes to arrival processing. For corporate mobility teams, the change means recalibrating travel-day itineraries and updating arrival instructions for visiting executives, particularly from the UK, US and other visa-exempt countries that will now be subject to full biometric capture. HR should also remind short-stay assignees that EES automatically counts Schengen days, tightening overstay enforcement ahead of the separate ETIAS travel-authorisation launch later in 2026. Airlines serving Prague are staggering flight banks and deploying additional ground staff to manage queues. The Interior Ministry says that extra border officers will be on duty through mid-April and urges travellers to ensure passports are machine-readable and free from covers or damage that could slow scans.
Source: Expats.cz
