Since the EU’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) was brought in at the beginning of April 2026, travel in Europe for non-EU nationals has been more than a little bumpy, with some passengers facing lengthy queues at Border Control and missing their flights altogether, forced to pay hefty fees for alternative travel.
Amidst all the chaos, the Greek embassy in the UK announced on 17 April that the country would be waiving the EES travel requirements for British passport holders, stating that “within the framework of the implementation of the new Entry/Exit System (EES) as of April 10th 2026, British passport holders are excluded from biometric registration at Greek border crossing points.”
Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation in the UK, meanwhile, added that the move would ensure a “smoother and more efficient arrival experience in Greece” and that it “is expected to significantly reduce waiting times and ease congestion at airports.”
But Greece isn’t the only country in Europe that’s doing away with the new rules or left unaffected by them. Here are the countries where the EES doesn’t apply.
6 European countries without EES worth visiting
Albania
Because Albania is not part of the EU or the Schengen area, it remains unaffected by the new EES rules. British travellers can visit the country for up to 90 days without a visa, within a 180-day period. Should you wish to stay longer than 90 days, you’ll need to apply for a long-stay visa or apply for residency.
Just a stone’s throw from the Greek island of Corfu, Albania is brimming with gorgeous sandy beaches and is also home to the Theth-Valbonë trail, a hiking route that runs through the scenic “Albanian Alps”, or Accursed Mountains.
Cyprus
Scenic view of sea seen through Cape Greco, CyprusGetty Images
