A new digital border control system is now officially in operation at the major airport in Majorca, a Spanish Balearic Island that's beloved by British holidaymakers. The new European Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace the traditional passport stamping process of years past at Palma Airport.

The EU-wide border system "replaces the manual passport stamping process for non-EU, non-Schengen visitors, including travellers from the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and many more countries", Palma Airport explains on its website. First-time arrivals will now have to scan their passport, have a facial photograph taken, and provide four fingerprints. The details will be stored in an EU database and used to keep track of when visitors enter and leave the Schengen Area.

The system also digitally records travel document data, entry and exit times and locations, as well as refused entries, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin.

However, children under 12 can be registered for free with only a photograph required. Meanwhile, British citizens living in Spain with a valid TIE card won't have to register on the system.

It officially launched at the airport on Wednesday, November 19, though some manual passport stamping will continue during the initial phase while the system is phased in.

Some teething problems are expected while the system is bedded in and travellers adjust to the process, with longer queues likely.

Palma Airport joins the phased rollout across Spain and Europe. It's already started being used in the major airports of Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Alicante and Menorca.

The system will be gradually deployed over the next six months, with full implementation expected by April 10, 2026.

The EES will be in operation at airports, seaports and land borders in nations taking part. Its purpose is to modernise management of borders, and help stop people overstaying illegally (longer than the permitted 90-day limit within a 180-day period), or committing identity fraud.

Checks should be quicker for future crossings once you've registered, with travellers set to need only a verification rather than a full biometric re-collection.

For future entries, biometric registration will be valid for three years or until your passport expires.

Another change British travellers need to be aware of is also on the way. Eventually, British and other non-EU/non Schengen country citizens travelling to EU Member States (minus Ireland) will need to get authorisation via the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) before travel.

The travel authorisation will cost around €20 (£18), and be valid for up to three years.

ETIAS, a separate system, is expected to be operational after EES is in place. It's set to start operations in the last quarter of 2026.