Key Takeaways
- Copenhagen Airport's EES biometric checks, fully implemented in April 2025, still cause queues of over an hour for non-EU travelers.
- Passengers complain of slow processing, with only three gates open during peak arrivals.
- Police admit registration takes "a bit longer" but say rollout is generally successful.
EES delays persist at Copenhagen Airport
More than six months after Copenhagen Airport introduced EES biometric border checks, passengers continue to report frustratingly long queues. Ian Wilkinson, who works in the marine industry, experienced a 70-minute wait just to get through passport control after arriving from outside the Schengen Area last Friday.
"It wasn't an hour and 10 minutes from landing, it was an hour and 10 minutes from getting off the plane, walking all the way down, going down the stairs, and starting to queue," he said. "People were just resigned to it, because the majority of us were Brits, and we're used to queueing, I suppose."
System fully implemented but understaffed?
The airport began the new Entry/Exit System (EES) in October 2024, requiring non-EU travelers from outside Schengen to provide fingerprints and photos at border control. In April 2025, officials announced the system was fully operational. However, Wilkinson noted that Danish police were only processing EES checks at three gates, despite multiple flights arriving simultaneously from non-Schengen countries.
"It just could have been better," he added. "These planes all arrived on time, so it wasn't like a surprise."
Biometric checks still slow even with short queues
Ian Gaze, a computer engineer, experienced delays even with only four or five people ahead of him. "It took a long time, because they had to take each child, each grown-up, and one-by-one, take a picture, and take the fingerprints," he explained. The officer on duty insisted on collecting biometrics from everyone, including residency card holders, ignoring arguments that authorities already had their data on file.
Police response: "a bit longer" is expected
In April, police inspector Claus Birkelyng from Copenhagen police acknowledged that processing could take longer for non-Schengen citizens due to biometric registration. Still, he stated that police are "in general, happy with the way it has been rolled out."
- Traveler tip: Arrive early or consider alternative entry points if flying into Copenhagen from outside the Schengen Area.
- Next steps: The Local has contacted Copenhagen Police for average wait time data, but no response has been provided yet.
What this means for travelers
For frequent flyers and expats, the delays underscore a broader challenge: as the EU rolls out EES across member states, infrastructure and staffing must keep pace. Until then, patience – and planning – remain essential for those entering Denmark.