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-   -   Help with the EU ESS: Fingerprinting after age 75 (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/help-with-the-eu-ess-fingerprinting-after-age-75-a-1735516/)

AlessandraZoe May 9th, 2026 09:25 AM

Help with the EU ESS: Fingerprinting after age 75
 
I've done the best I can to make sure we can somehow make our way from our June 6:50 am landing to our 9:35 take-off at CDG for our flight to Biarritz, one that usually leaves out of the way-off gate, 2G.
One gets there by way of Guam, and darn it, our layover is only 2 hours and 45 minutes.

I've created gate maps; I've watched videos.
I've seated us perfectly for our plane exit--our seats are in the first AF Business Class grouping of an AF 777-300, front row--which should allow us to vacate behind La Premiere.
Because I am now "Hopalong Cassidy", I even have booked the AF Concierge Service

But now I must deal with the first ESS encounter.
Sigh. As soon as I saw, "Fingerprint", I realize we are dead in the water.
My husband's fingerprints do not read. They did not read in his early 70s and I'm sure they won't read now in his early 80's.

I am currently reading about lotions that can enhance ridges. DOES ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH ANY OF THESE?

Thank you for any help whatsoever.
AZ

hetismij2 May 9th, 2026 09:30 AM

If fingerprints cannot be captured due to injury, medical condition, or age, alternative procedures apply:
  • Inform border officers immediately
  • Medical documentation may be required
  • Facial recognition will be primary verification
  • Manual entry verification as backup
  • Entry will not be denied due to technical impossibility
From https://euborder.com/ees/biometrics

AlessandraZoe May 9th, 2026 09:43 AM

hetismij2--Thank you, but the problem will be the hoops we shall have to jump, and the time needed to jump those hoops, to get to the biometric alternatives.
We won't have time to dilly-dally. Tick, tick, tick, tick...

We've been blessed that in recent years, our CLEAR process just uses eyes. It's easy and fast. But before then, I'd be all the way through the TSA screening while my husband was still back in the CLEAR line going through all the biometric alternatives.
Global Entry here upgraded, too.

So I want to know if anyone has encountered the fingerprint problem recently and how long it took to get the right people in charge to say, "Let's move this old person on via..." without the time needed to proof a loaf of bread.

AlessandraZoe May 9th, 2026 09:46 AM

And back to my original ALL CAPS question: I really do want to know if anyone has used some of the suggested fixes, such as Ridge Builder; Cornhuskers or technical things like PreScan Pads and Ready Ridge solutions.

dreamon May 9th, 2026 11:03 AM

I can’t comment on Paris but when I flew into Rome a couple of weeks ago, my fingerprints wouldn’t register. After about 5min of trying I was directed to the manual immigration queue. Not having my fingerprints captured probably only cost me a few minutes. I hope the same will be true when I leave Schengen. I was not alone in having problems.

AlessandraZoe May 9th, 2026 11:11 AM

Thanks, dreamon.

AlessandraZoe May 9th, 2026 11:16 AM

I've just ordered Cornhuskers. I have a vague memory of my father and my grandfather (a coal miner) using that stuff. What the heck, I'm throwing anything at the problem.

Of course, now I'll have to test efficacy by fingerprinting my husband over three weeks. Yeah, I don't think he's gonna love this.

Hope others can chime in with some CDG "no-read" experiences, either solved with lotions/products or SWIFT passport control peeps.


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