European Union

Mandatory fingerprinting of citizens

Regulation (EC) 2252/2004 and Regulation (EU) 2019/1157 mandate that all biometric passports and identity cards issued by EU member states must contain at least two fingerprints. The United Kingdom and Ireland - both outside the Schengen free travel area - were given opt-outs.

Conveniently, a lot of European countries also mandate that everyone must have an ID card. Even without this, one of these identity documents is generally required to cross internal EU borders, and the majority of people get a passport at some point. This effectively means that all citizens are legally required to have their fingerprints taken.

Mandatory fingerprinting of visitors

From 2025, the EU is introducing the Entry/Exit System and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) for anyone visiting member states in the Schengen area without an EU passport, even if they are from a country with visa-free access such as the UK.

This will impose similar rules to US, in that you must submit information about yourself online and pay an application fee to get permission to enter the country in advance, and then fingerprints are taken at the border.

The EU's webpage on the subject clearly states: "If you refuse to provide your biometric data, you will be denied entry into the territory of the European countries using the EES."

Not very friendly.

Ireland and the Common Travel Area

The Republic of Ireland is in the European Union, but unlike most other members, is not in the Schengen area. This is because they are instead in the Common Travel Area, allowing free movement between the British isles.

You do not need to have your fingerprints taken to get an Irish passport, but since it is an EU passport, it allows entry into other EU countries without fingerprints being taken at the border.