Greece Pauses Eu Border Biometric Checks Delay for Britons

Greece has made a eu border biometric checks delay for British passport holders traveling through its border crossing points from 10 April 2026. The Greek embassy said those travelers are exempt from biometric registration, easing the rollout of the EU's new entry and exit scheme for a large share of UK holidaymakers.

Jet2 welcomed the move after writing to and lobbying authorities, including in Greece, to delay the introduction of EES. Steve Heapy said Jet2 believes pausing the checks until systems and processes are ready will give customers a much better experience.

Jet2’s Greece schedule

Jet2 said the decision matters across a sizeable summer program: the company has flights and holidays on sale via 15 Greek airports, with more than 3.5 million seats available. Heapy said, "We applaud the Greek authorities for acting in the best interests of UK holidaymakers." He added, "Our customers work and save very hard for their holidays, and we will always do everything in our power to ensure they have the very best experience when they travel with us."

Heapy also said, "We believe that pausing EES checks, until systems and processes are ready, will result in a much better experience for our customers and we are pleased to see that the Greek authorities agree." Jet2 said it expects a quick response in demand for holidays to Greece and urged other countries to follow the same approach and put holidaymakers first.

Greek tourism priorities

Andreas Fiorentinos said Greece is keeping its focus on a smooth and visitor-friendly travel experience. He said, "Following Jet2’s recent announcement welcoming Greece’s decision to temporarily suspend biometric checks for British travellers under the EES system, Greece reaffirms its commitment to providing a smooth and visitor-friendly travel experience."

Fiorentinos also said, "Tourism remains a top government priority and a key pillar of the Greek economy." He thanked Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis for "his swift and effective intervention," saying it helped ensure efficient procedures for UK visitors. He added, "UK holidaymakers are vital to Greek tourism, and facilitating their travel to Greece remains a strategic priority for the country."

The practical effect is immediate for British passport holders heading to Greece: biometric registration at Greek border crossing points is not part of their journey from 10 April 2026. Jet2’s summer schedule, already built around 15 Greek airports and more than 3.5 million seats, now goes forward without the extra step the company had urged governments to postpone.