The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office kept its France travel advisory “still current” as of 23 September but updated the entry-requirements section to flag the EU Entry/Exit System (EES). British citizens are reminded that fingerprint and face-image capture will be mandatory at first entry to the Schengen area and could lengthen queues. Although France is allowing flexibility in EES rollout until year-end, the notice warns that some border posts may transition without advance public notice. The FCDO also reiterates wildfire and strike risks. Corporate travel managers should brief UK-based staff on the need for passport validity of at least three months beyond intended departure and be prepared for biometric kiosks or manual capture at ports like Dover and St Pancras. Experts say the advisory may influence corporate-risk scoring models, potentially raising insurance premiums for tight-turnaround business trips until EES procedures stabilise. The update comes as nine EU countries, including France, admitted delays in full EES deployment, highlighting a patchwork implementation that companies must monitor route-by-route.
Source: UK FCDO
