INSIGHT
EU Travel Update: Entry/Exit System
Updated August, 12th, 2025
The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to launch on October 12th, 2025. The new border management system will be rolled out gradually over six months, with full operational capability from April 10th, 2026.
The implementation of the new biometric system will affect travelers from non-EU countries who travel to the European Union. It is another step in registering non-EU visitors, including short-stay visa holders.
Here is what we know.
What is the Entry/Exit System (EES)?
EES replaces manual passport stamps with automated digital registration. It's a new system that collects biometric data, such as digital photographs and fingerprints. It will electronically register each traveler's entry, exit, and refusal of entry for external border crossings of these countries:
A-F: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France
G-L: Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M-S: Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
For the full details, we recommend visiting the EU's EES website.
What is an external border crossing?
The countries above are part of the Schengen area, a large zone of Europe where people can travel freely between member states without going through border control. An external border is related to travel between a country in the Schengen area and one that is not, such as the Americas, Asia Pacific, Africa, the UAE, or some countries in Europe not part of the Schengen, like the UK and Ireland.
Who does EES apply to?
Any non-EU national, i.e., those not from the countries listed abov,e who either:
- Have a short stay visa.
- Visa-exempt travelers who fall under the 90-day in 180-day rule. The 90 days within any 180-day period is calculated as a single period for all European countries using the EES.
Who is exempt from EES?
Examples of who the EES does not apply to include:
- Nationals of the European countries using the EES, as well as Cyprus and Ireland.
- Non-EU nationals who hold a residence card and have a close family member who is an EU national.
- Long-stay visa holders and those with residence permits.
- Those exempt or have privileges from border checks, e.g., heads of state.
What to expect at border control
First trip post-start date
You will be required to provide personal data. Passport control officers will scan your fingerprints and take a photo of your face to be stored. Unlike the current system, there is no requirement for passport stamping (bummer!), so you won't see one in your document.
You can register your data in advance through a self-service system at the airport or via a mobile app, if the country you're traveling to/from has one.
Following visits
Since your fingerprints and photo are already on file, the passport control officer will verify the information in the system. For those with biometric passports, you can enter even more quickly using the self-service system (if available at the airport).
What data will be collected?
For all external border crossings, the EES will collect:
- Data listed in your travel document, e.g., full name, date of birth.
- Data and the place of each entry and exit.
- Facial images and fingerprints.
- Any record of refused entry.
Find out more about what is collected, why, and how long it is stored here.
Why is EES being introduced?
Entry/Exit System is part of a variety of measures being introduced by the EU, European Commission, and European Parliament to modernize the travel experience and reduce cross-border crime. EES in particular will:
- Provide reliable data on entries, exits, and refused entry, to identify overstayers, i.e., travelers that have stayed in Europe more than 90 days out of 180 days.
- Help combat mistaken identity fraud by collecting biometric data.
- Strengthen security due to improved border checks and the use of electronic records.
- Promotes real-time information sharing, enabling border authorities to have more accurate information.
- Reduce lines at border control by recording information and minimizing manual stamping.
For the full details, we recommend visiting the EU's EES website.
How else is the EU digitalizing the border process?
Following the launch of EES, officials will focus on the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). In a similar concept to the US ESTA, this authorization system has been subject to delays, and we are currently unsure when it will launch. Read more about ETIAS here.
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