CONFUSION continues to reign at Spain’s airports over which queue British residents should use as the EU’s new digital border system, the Entry/Exit System (EES), begins rolling out.
Many expats have reported being unsure whether to join the EU lane – as legal residents of Spain – or the non-EU queue, which is now controlled by biometric EES kiosks.
The Olive Press asked Spain’s Interior Ministry to clarify the rule.
Officials confirmed that British passport holders with a valid Spanish TIE residency card must use the queue for the EES system, meaning they should join the non-EU or ‘third-country nationals’ queue when arriving in or leaving Spain.
However, with the TIE, they will not be treated as tourists and won’t be subject to the 90-day stay limit that applies to non-residents.
In practice, this means travellers should present both their passport and TIE when passing through border control.
The system – or the officer operating it – should then recognise their residence status and exempt them from the short-stay rules.
READ MORE: The big EES digital border system rolls out on Sunday to great fanfare… at just one airport in Spain
The Interior Ministry’s clarification comes as Spain gradually introduces the EES at its major airports, starting with Madrid first and then followed by Malaga, which became operational on October 20.
Alicante and Barcelona follow on October 27, and Palma de Mallorca on November 19, with full Schengen-wide implementation due by April 10, 2026.
Across Europe, the system’s first week has been marked by long queues and technical failures, with passengers at Brussels Airport facing waits of up to three hours and similar scenes in Prague.
The new system replaces the manual passport stamping of non-EU visitors, using facial recognition and fingerprint scans to record entries and exits.
It automatically tracks compliance with the Schengen Area’s 90-days-in-180 rule and can issue digital alerts for overstays.
British residents in Spain can breathe easy – their TIE cards keep them exempt from those restrictions – but they’ll still have to join the non-EU line like their fellow compatriots.
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Is it possible to clarify if the British partner of an EU (Irish) passport holder who are both residents also has to join the non EU queue or can they accompany their partner through the EU channel?
Colum – Malaga airport refuse to uphold the EU guidance on the above and won’t accept so it’s irrelevant what queue as they won’t accept
https://ireland.representation.ec.europa.eu/live-work-study-eu/mobility-eu-frequently-asked-questions_en
Perhaps olive press can raise this issue and hopefully get Malaga correctly following the guidance
It would be helpful to also explain the right line for non-Euro and non-British NIE holders.
Agreed – but that would be in another story !
There are only 2 queues so if you are non European go to the one for non European it is quite simple really. The one for 3rd countries.