Good news if you're flying to Kefalonia this summer on a British passport: you won't need to register your fingerprints or have your face scanned at the border. Greece has officially opted out of applying the EU's new Entry/Exit System to UK nationals — and that makes arriving on the island considerably faster and simpler.
What Is the EES?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is an automated border control programme that launched across 29 Schengen countries on 12 October 2025. It requires non-EU passport holders — including British citizens — to register biometric data (fingerprints and a facial scan) at their first point of entry into the Schengen zone.
The system was designed to replace manual passport stamping. In theory, it speeds up repeat entries. In practice, the first registration adds several minutes per traveller, with reports of significant queues at major airports during peak season.
For full details on how the system works, see the UK Government's EES guidance.
Greece's Exemption — What Happened
On 10 April 2026, the Greek Embassy in London confirmed that Greece would exempt UK passport holders from EES biometric registration. The reason is straightforward: Greece received 4.89 million British visitors in 2025 — up 8% year-on-year — making the UK its largest non-EU tourist market. Subjecting nearly five million visitors to first-time biometric registration would have created unacceptable delays at airports and ports during the summer peak.
Greece continues to use manual passport stamping for UK arrivals, which takes roughly 15 seconds per person — the same process British visitors have known for decades.
The European Commission has expressed reservations about Greece's decision but has not imposed any penalties.
What Happens at Kefalonia Airport (EFL) and Ferry Ports
At Kefalonia Island International Airport (Anna Pollatou / EFL), British visitors present their passport, receive a stamp, and proceed. No biometric kiosks, no fingerprint scanners, no separate queues.
The same applies at the island's ferry ports — Sami and Poros — if you're arriving from another country (for example, from Italy via Bari to Sami).
If you're arriving from another Schengen country where you've already cleared passport control (say, a connecting flight via Athens), you won't go through border checks again at Kefalonia.
What UK Visitors Still Need to Know
Greece's EES exemption doesn't change the fundamental entry rules:
- Valid passport required — must be valid for at least 3 months beyond your planned departure date, and issued within the previous 10 years.
- 90-day rule — UK nationals can stay in the Schengen area for a maximum of 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. Greece's EES exemption doesn't extend this limit.
- Withdrawal Agreement residents — UK nationals legally resident in an EU country under the Withdrawal Agreement are already exempt from EES under separate rules and have their own documentation.
How Greece Compares to Other Schengen Countries
Greece is currently the only major Schengen tourist destination to exempt UK passport holders from EES. If you're island-hopping or combining Greece with other European countries this summer, be aware that France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and all other Schengen members still require full EES biometric registration for British nationals.
This means your first entry into the Schengen zone through, say, a connecting flight in Frankfurt or Rome will still involve the full EES process. If you fly direct to Greece, you skip it entirely.
Planning Your Trip
For information on flights and ferries to Kefalonia, see our guide on how to get to Kefalonia from the UK. You can also check ferry routes and book tickets directly.
Have questions about entry requirements, travel documents, or getting to Kefalonia? Ask Memas — our AI island guide has the latest information.
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