EES launch: Will Eurostar passengers be asked for medical insurance at the border?

The EU’s caller entry/exit strategy (EES) will beryllium rolled retired opening connected 12 October.

Once successful place, non-EU travellers taking nan Eurostar from nan UK into nan Schengen area will request to scan their passports aliases different recreation documents astatine dedicated kiosks astatine London St Pancras International station.

During nan process, they will besides beryllium asked immoderate questions related to their recreation plans.

Some disorder has arisen astir these questions, peculiarly nan reported request for travellers to person impervious of aesculapian insurance.

Here is explanation from Eurostar and nan UK government.

New EES separator checks for Eurostar passengers

With nan EES successful place, Eurostar passengers heading to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam will acquisition separator checks astatine St Pancras station.

At kiosks, nan strategy will registry nan traveller’s name, biometric data, and nan day and spot of introduction and exit.

Passengers will besides beryllium asked 4 questions astir pre-booked accommodation, a return ticket, and costs capable to screen their enactment successful nan EU, and insurance.

If you reply “no” to immoderate of these questions, a French separator constabulary supplier will beryllium alerted, and you whitethorn beryllium refused introduction into nan EU.

Passengers are besides warned against answering “yes” untruthfully, arsenic “Your answers are binding, you whitethorn beryllium asked to supply proof.”

From 12 October, only business and premium people passengers will beryllium taxable to these checks. For different passengers, they will statesman successful January 2026.

Do Eurostar passengers request impervious of aesculapian insurance?

The circumstantial questions Eurostar passengers will beryllium asked astatine kiosks were initially reported successful UK media to be:

• Do you person location to stay?
• Do you person a return ticket?
• Do you person capable costs to support yourself during your enactment (credit card, cash)?
• Do you person aesculapian insurance?

Eurostar has since confirmed to Euronews Travel that nan past mobility regarding aesculapian security is simply a translator correction and should publication 'travel insurance'.

“At present, nan English translations are provisional and, arsenic we understand it, will beryllium reviewed and updated by nan French Ministry of nan Interior,” a spokesperson for nan institution said.

However, nan accusation is still not afloat clear, moreover from charismatic sources.

A spokesperson for nan UK authorities confirmed to Euronews Travel: “From 12th October, passengers who registry for EES astatine a stalls whitethorn request to reply a bid of questions, including whether they person aesculapian insurance.”

But they reiterate that aesculapian security will not beryllium required aft nan motorboat of nan EES.

“Medical security will not beryllium a mandatory request for UK citizens travelling to nan EU nether EES. However, we powerfully urge that each passengers acquisition broad recreation insurance, including aesculapian cover, earlier travelling abroad.”

Non-EU travellers to France request impervious of aesculapian insurance

While aesculapian security is not a request of nan European Commission for travellers (from nan UK aliases different nations) entering nan Schengen area, it is portion of nationalist controls by nan French authorities for third-country nationals.

“You must person an security certificate covering each aesculapian and infirmary expenses for which you whitethorn beryllium liable for nan long of your enactment successful France, arsenic good arsenic aesculapian repatriation costs and expenses successful nan arena of death,” nan charismatic guidance reads.

In practice, travellers arriving astatine French borders person seldom been asked to supply impervious of aesculapian insurance.

It is not yet clear whether nan request will beryllium enforced much routinely pursuing nan motorboat of nan EES.

The stipulation that Eurostar passengers must person a return summons is besides portion of France’s nationalist checks. The Schengen norm permits immoderate impervious of carrier booked to time off nan zone, including onward journeys to different non-EU countries.

Euronews Travel has reached retired to nan European Commission for further clarification.