In an interview published on 23 June 2026 by ETIAS Pro, Frontex Deputy Executive Director Uku Särekanno cautioned that border-control queues across the Schengen area could remain “exceptionally long” for up to two years as the new Entry/Exit System (EES) captures first-time biometrics from all non-EU travellers. The remarks come ten weeks after EES became fully operational on 10 April 2026. Prague’s Václav Havel Airport told Global Mobility News that 34 % of passengers on long-haul flights since April required first-time biometric enrolment, adding an average of 3 minutes per passenger in peak periods. To mitigate, the airport will open four additional EES kiosks before the late-summer tourist surge and is discussing employer-group pre-enrolment sessions for large expatriate populations.
![Frontex warns of year-long queues as EU Entry/Exit System beds in; Czech airports brace]()
For travellers and businesses that need help navigating shifting Schengen requirements, VisaHQ offers hands-on assistance with Czech and wider EU entry rules, including guidance on EES procedures and supporting paperwork. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) can simplify visa and travel-authorisation applications, helping corporate mobility teams and individual passengers prepare documentation well in advance and avoid unnecessary delays at the border.
Frontex also confirmed that the temporary “flexibility window”—allowing member states to suspend EES if border congestion becomes critical—expires in September. The Czech Police Presidium indicated it does not plan to invoke the clause, urging travellers instead to arrive earlier and to use the CZ SmartMove mobile pre-check app, which has attracted 120 000 downloads since launch. For Czech-based multinationals, the key takeaway is scheduling: assignees and frequent business travellers from visa-exempt countries should expect extended outbound and inbound dwell times until they complete their first EES registration. Mobility managers should update travel-time assumptions and communicate biometric-enrolment requirements to visiting staff and clients.
For travellers and businesses that need help navigating shifting Schengen requirements, VisaHQ offers hands-on assistance with Czech and wider EU entry rules, including guidance on EES procedures and supporting paperwork. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/) can simplify visa and travel-authorisation applications, helping corporate mobility teams and individual passengers prepare documentation well in advance and avoid unnecessary delays at the border.
Frontex also confirmed that the temporary “flexibility window”—allowing member states to suspend EES if border congestion becomes critical—expires in September. The Czech Police Presidium indicated it does not plan to invoke the clause, urging travellers instead to arrive earlier and to use the CZ SmartMove mobile pre-check app, which has attracted 120 000 downloads since launch. For Czech-based multinationals, the key takeaway is scheduling: assignees and frequent business travellers from visa-exempt countries should expect extended outbound and inbound dwell times until they complete their first EES registration. Mobility managers should update travel-time assumptions and communicate biometric-enrolment requirements to visiting staff and clients.
