How long does EU entry-exit scheme take? Simon Calder puts it to the test

The European Union’s entry-exit system (EES) for British passport holders, as well as other “third-country nationals”, took effect on Sunday 12 October.

Starting on Sunday, Schengen area member states have 180 days to make all their frontiers EES-compliant. The faces and fingerprints of third-country nationals, including British passport holders, are stored on a central EU database.

It aims to crack down on crime and enforce the 90-day stay limit, which applies to British travellers and other third-country nationals, within any 180-day period.

Senior travel figures have warned of long waits at airports.

But how does it work in practice? Simon Calder tests it out.