The EU Entry-Exit System (EES), which requires non-EU citizens travelling to the union to submit to a facial scan and have their fingerprints taken, went live in October and is due to be rolled out at all external EU border crossings by mid-April.
However, Portugal's ministry of internal administration has confirmed the government has stepped in and halted the checks owing to recent long delays at Portugal's main airport.
The ministry said the pause was necessary to "implement and reinforce" contingency measures at Humberto Delgado airport, including increasing electronic and physical capability to process arrivals by around 30%.
