Schiphol faces congestion at border control
Public sources confirm the introduction of the new European border system, but not the current scale of the reported queue chaos.
Travellers may face longer waits at passport control at Schiphol due to the introduction of the European Entry/Exit System. The public sources currently available provide background on the system and earlier warnings, but no independent, up-to-date measurement of the situation on Thursday morning.
Since April 2026, the Entry/Exit System has digitally registered travellers from outside the European Union when entering and leaving the Schengen area. The registration replaces the manual stamping of passports and may involve recording passport details, a facial image and fingerprints.
Schiphol says travellers with a non-EU passport may have to complete additional steps on arrival. The airport has installed 161 self-service kiosks to prepare the registration. The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee says travellers can then proceed through automated gates or a staffed checkpoint.
The airport previously warned that passport control could become busier during peak periods. Schiphol points to the combination of many flights arriving at the same time and the additional registration. According to the airport, EES registration does not affect travellers with an EU passport.
In addition, the Marechaussee is carrying out temporary internal border checks on specific flights from within the Schengen area. These checks are risk-based and not systematic. The Dutch government says the temporary measure will last until 30 September 2026 at the latest and is intended to combat irregular migration and cross-border crime.
What is missing is a public, up-to-date count of waiting times at border control at the time of writing. The official pages available describe the process and acknowledge that the system may take additional time, but provide no figure with which the description ‘critical’ can be independently tested.
The development affects travellers, airlines and airport operations. For travellers, the distinction between security screening and border control remains particularly important: the reported congestion concerns the passport and border procedure, not automatically security screening. A current assessment requires figures from Schiphol or the Marechaussee on staffing levels, waiting times and technical failures.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- The European Entry/Exit System digitally registers travellers from outside the EU.
- Schiphol has self-service kiosks and warns that registration may take additional time.
- The Royal Netherlands Marechaussee also carries out temporary, risk-based internal border checks.
- No public, up-to-date waiting-time measurement was found that fully substantiates the reported severity.
Left
Arguments The introduction of new border systems must not result in an operation that puts travellers, staff and privacy under pressure. The government must arrange capacity, accessibility and independent oversight in advance.
Values Public services, privacy, equal access and the protection of workers.
Consequences More staff and better digital facilities cost money, but may limit disruption and unequal treatment.
Centre
Arguments Digital border registration has been agreed at European level and can contribute to more efficient checks, but its implementation should be evaluated in stages. Transparent waiting-time figures and temporary emergency measures are an obvious course of action.
Values Administrative feasibility, security and proportionate implementation.
Consequences A transition period may cause temporary inconvenience, while targeted investment may reduce structural pressure.
Right
Arguments Reliable border control is a core responsibility of the state. If additional checks are necessary for security and migration management, travellers must accept those consequences; at the same time, Schiphol must keep its operations in order.
Values National security, border protection, responsibility and efficiency.
Consequences More checks can cause queues, but insufficient checks could, from this perspective, create greater security and enforcement problems.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved with corrections · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The background information is well substantiated, but the current characterisation of the queues could not be independently established. The text has therefore been toned down and makes the lack of source material explicit.
- confirmed The Entry/Exit System has been in use at Dutch border posts since April 2026. — The Marechaussee states that it was introduced in April 2026. source
- confirmed Schiphol has 161 self-service kiosks for EES registration. — This number appears on the Marechaussee’s information page. source
- confirmed The system can cause additional congestion during peak periods. — Schiphol warns that the additional registration may slow down the border process. source
- confirmed The current scale of the reported queue chaos has not been independently established. — The official sources consulted provide background, but no up-to-date waiting-time measurement. source
1 correction(s) applied
- Was: Schiphol faces critical queue chaos at border control.Now: Public sources confirm additional congestion caused by the new border system, but not the current scale of the reported queue chaos. (The current characterisation could not be checked against an unrestricted, independent source.)
Editor's note
The operation of EES, the kiosks and the temporary border checks has been confirmed. An independent, up-to-date source on waiting times or the scale of the reported chaos is missing; the status is therefore insufficient_sources.Sources
- Reizen naar Nederland — Koninklijke Marechaussee
- Invoering European Entry/Exit System op Schiphol — Schiphol
- Tijdelijke binnengrenscontroles tegen migratie zonder geldige documenten — Rijksoverheid
More on this in Dutch media
- RTL Nieuws — „schiphol grenscontrole”
- NOS — „schiphol grenscontrole”
- Het Parool — „schiphol grenscontrole”