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Dover Chaos: EU Border Checks Spark Holiday Gridlock
23 May
Summary
- French border checks at Dover were temporarily suspended.
- New EU biometric checks include photos and fingerprints.
- Severe queues formed amid soaring temperatures on May 23, 2026.
French border authorities suspended enhanced EU border checks at the port of Dover on May 23, 2026, due to escalating congestion and soaring temperatures. This measure was taken to alleviate the "challenging situation" faced by holidaymakers.
The suspended checks are part of the EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES), which mandates biometric data collection, including photos and fingerprints, for non-EU travellers entering France. While the full implementation of fingerprint and photo machines was pending at Dover, the creation of traveller profiles within the new system had already lengthened processing times.
The May bank holiday weekend proved to be a significant test for the new EES, resulting in substantial queues and delayed journeys. The port confirmed that despite the suspension, travellers continued to experience congested roads leading to the check-in area.
