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British travellers to the EU have been warned to check their entry-exit system (EES) status to avoid being fined for a false overstay.
Errors in exit records have incorrectly identified several passport holders as someone who has overstayed their time in the EU, reported consumer group Which?.
British passport holders may spend 90 days in every 180-day period in Europe’s Schengen Zone countries since Brexit.
Me Before You author Jojo Moyes was told by French border guards that she could face a two-year ban and a €10,000 (£8,360) fine if she attempts to re-enter Europe after being incorrectly flagged as an EU overstayer.
The EU’s EES checks became fully operational on 10 April 2026 and involve taking fingerprints and a headshot at the border.
A glitch with the bloc’s digital security controls occurred after Moyes’ exit from Portugal in May was not correctly logged by EES.
According to Moyes, she had spent just 23 days in the Schengen area over six months when she was stopped at Marseille airport.
The novelist has since been forced to hire an immigration lawyer to amend her records.
According to Which?, dozens of British travellers have faced similar issues with the system failing to record an exit from EU destinations.
On Monday, it was announced that the EU is suing IMB and two other European tech firms over the issues and repeated delays caused by the bloc’s new smart border system this summer.
A spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office (FCDO) told The Guardian: “We are aware of reports of inaccuracies in some EES records affecting British nationals, including incomplete records and the registration of some individuals who are exempt from EES. We are raising these issues as part of our engagement with the European Commission.”
The Independent has contacted the FCDO and European Commission for comment.
How to check your EES status
Travellers can check the number of days they are still allowed to stay in the territory of European countries through the EES online tool by providing the name of the country they wish to visit and their travel document – passport – number.
British passport holders who have visited Schengen zone countries since April are advised to check their travel status for information on whether their entry is allowed (’OK’ or ‘not OK’), as well as information about the number of days that you are still allowed to stay on the territory of the European countries using the EES.
If something looks wrong, you’ll need to ask for your data to be checked and updated in the system.
According to Which?, go to the Travel to Europe data protection page and scroll to the Schengen Zone country you last visited to locate the email address of the Data Controller for that country for assistance.
Passport control officers at external borders are also able to advise about the number of days that you are still allowed to stay in the EU.
Read more: EU sues IBM after troubled new border system sparks delays