Tour Operators Warn: Fingerprint Checks Cause Long Queues at EU Borders

Tour operators across Europe are raising serious concerns over growing congestion at EU borders following the introduction of mandatory fingerprint scanning for citizens from non-EU countries. According to the tourism association United Future for Tourism, buses carrying tourists — including large groups of children traveling to summer camps — are being held at border checkpoints for between 8 and 18 hours. The delays are already resulting in missed hotel stays, canceled travel programs, and extremely difficult conditions for passengers. Industry representatives say the problem has been ongoing for about a month, since biometric checks became compulsory for non-EU nationals entering the European Union by land. Due to the lack of dedicated lanes for EU citizens — or the failure to enforce their use where they do exist — all vehicles are funneled through the same checkpoints, causing massive queues. The most severe disruptions have been reported at the borders between Croatia and Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey, Bulgaria and Serbia, as well as Romania and Ukraine. Tour operators warn that the situation is particularly critical for long-distance bus travel, as EU regulations strictly limit drivers’ working hours. Extended border delays make it impossible to comply with mandatory rest periods, exposing companies and drivers to heavy fines and even license suspensions. Conditions at border waiting areas are often inadequate. In some countries, buses are not allowed to keep engines running, leaving passengers without air conditioning during long waits. Infrastructure between checkpoints is not designed for extended stops, further worsening the situation. A particularly alarming situation has been reported at the Romania–Ukraine border, where Ukrainian children traveling with their families to summer seaside camps are forced to wait for hours without access to food, water, or basic facilities. Tour operators are calling for urgent measures, including the creation and strict enforcement of separate lanes for EU citizens, especially for organized bus travel. They have requested meetings with the ministries of tourism, foreign affairs, and transport, as well as with the embassies of Romania and Croatia. If no action is taken, the sector warns it will escalate the issue to the European Commission.