UK Holidaymakers Urged to Follow Passport Photo Rules and Fast‑Track EU Border Checks

His Majesty's Passport Office has reminded UK travellers that digital passport photos must meet strict specifications – recent (within a month), plain background, correct size (600 × 750 px), colour, and no objects, glasses (except for medical reasons) or head coverings – to avoid application delays or rejections.

At the same time, the EU’s Entry Exit System (EES) is causing long queues at major European airports as biometric checks are introduced. Travelers are being advised to head straight to passport control after check‑in, arrive earlier than usual, and postpone shopping or dining until after the border checks. An easyJet flight from Milan to Manchester famously departed with only 34 passengers after many missed the EES process.

Industry experts suggest using pre‑registration where available, monitoring queue updates, and allowing extra time, especially for families and tight connections, to prevent missed flights during the busy summer travel period.