To address challenges posed by the new European border control system, which uses biometric data like fingerprints and facial images, the PSP has suspended biometric data collection at departures in Lisbon, Porto, and Faro airports.
This measure is intended to prevent passengers from missing flights.
Long queues have developed since the EES (Entry/Exit System) became fully operational across the European Union on 10 April.
PSP spokesperson Sérgio Soares stated that the suspension is targeted.
Departures now follow the traditional security model without photo and fingerprint collection. Biometrics remain mandatory at arrivals.
This approach aims to balance Schengen security requirements with the need for efficient operations at Humberto Delgado, Francisco Sá Carneiro, and Gago Coutinho airports. Waiting times have reached several hours, causing significant concern among non-EU travellers.
This is not the first time the EES system, implemented in phases since October 2025, has caused significant bottlenecks in Portugal. In December, the government introduced contingency measures at Lisbon airport. The goal was to reduce pressure on arrivals.
Experts and airport authorities have criticised the system’s technological complexity. They noted that while it replaces stamps with a digital record, it has proven incompatible with peak air traffic. The PSP is responsible for ensuring that waiting times do not exceed the police’s expectations. Their goal is to protect passengers’ right to board on time in a system that is still struggling to reach full operational maturity in 2026.