Spain: Ongoing Issues with EU Entry/Exit System (EES) Rollout – November 2025
Table of Contents
This report details issues experienced with the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) rollout at various Spanish airports as of late November 2025. The EES collects biometric data (fingerprints and photos) from non-resident, non-EU travellers.
Airport-Specific Issues
Tenerife South
Implemented EES on November 6th, 2025.Initial reports (November 21st) indicated chaos, long queues, and overcrowding. The situation has reportedly improved slightly, but inconsistencies remain.
- Queues: Experiences vary – some travellers report long queues, others report a quick process.
- machine Availability: A key issue is the limited number of active machines. One traveller reported only 6 out of dozens were operational.
- Peak Times: problems are exacerbated when multiple flights arrive concurrently.
Málaga
Also experiencing issues with the EES rollout. The PP Spanish opposition party has criticized the government’s handling of the situation, citing passenger congestion and a lack of airport expansion to accommodate the increased processing demands.
- Political Criticism: The PP party claims government inaction is causing chaos, especially with Málaga Airport reaching 25 million passengers.
- Anticipated Gridlock: Further congestion is expected during key dates in December.
- Passenger Complaints: Increasing complaints regarding congestion due to the new visa verification system.
Palma
Spain’s Palma airport implements EES border checks
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| October 12th, 2025 | EES system came into effect; Madrid Airport first to implement. |
| November 6th, 2025 | Tenerife South airport implemented EES. |
| November 21st, 2025 | Reports of chaos and overcrowding at Tenerife South. |
| November 28th, 2025 | PP party criticism of EES rollout at Málaga Airport. |
| April 10th, 2026 | Deadline for full EES rollout across the EU. |
Travellers, particularly non-resident, non-EU citizens, should be prepared for potential delays and long queues at these airports. Allow extra time for border control procedures.