The EU Entry-Exit System (EES): Everything Travelers Need to Know

Europe is about to get a travel tech-driven update.

• The EU Entry Exit System (EES) is a new automated IT system that will keep track of non-EU nationals traveling for a short stay in 29 countries in Europe (also known as the Schengen Area).

• Instead of getting a traditional passport stamp, your entry and exit will be logged electronically and stored in a digital record. However, this will happen in phases. 

• The EU Entry Exit System is scheduled to begin its progressive implementation on October 12, 2025, and become fully operational in the next 6 months (by April 10, 2026).

If you’re from a country outside the Schengen Area, you’ll also need to give your biometric data, such as scanning your fingerprints and having your photo taken, the first time you enter Europe. 

Don’t worry, it’s not hard, but it’s important to understand what’s coming.

You may also hear about the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), a separate travel authorization, and many travelers wonder if they need both.

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about EES, including:

• New EU rules for 2025

• How does it affect travelers visiting Schengen countries 

• Costs and required documents

• Pre-registration and alternatives to EES

• EES and ETIAS: How they work together

• EES timeline and implementation

• Key benefits for travel with EES

• Travel tips to make your Europe trip smoother

So, are you ready to navigate Europe without stress?

Keep reading!

New EU Rules for Entering Europe in 2025?

Why the EU EES is being Introduced

The EU developed the Entry Exit System (EES) to make traveling safer and more efficient.

The system helps:

• Improve border security across Europe by electronically registering non-EU nationals’ entries and exits, or entry refusals.

• Make border checks faster and more reliable by using digital systems instead of manual passport stamping.

• Use technology to better manage and plan migration across borders.

• Identify travelers who have no right to enter or who have exceeded their permitted stay. 

• Stop illegal immigration by automatically tracking people who stay too long.

• Identify travelers who are using fake identities or passports. 

• Help prevent, detect, and investigate terrorist offenses and other serious crimes.

• Speed up border procedures through automation.

Which European Countries (Schengen Area) are Implementing EES?

The Schengen Area is named after the town of Schengen in Luxembourg, where in 1985 the original Schengen agreement was signed by five European countries.

This agreement allowed people to move freely across borders without passport checks between member states. Over time, more countries joined, creating the Schengen area we know today, which includes 29 European nations.

Today, EES applies to all 29 Schengen countries (25 EU Member States and 4 non-EU countries). 

• 25 EU Member States

• Austria

• Belgium

• Bulgaria

• Croatia

• Czechia

• Denmark

• Estonia

• Finland

• France

• Germany

• Greece

• Hungary

• Italy

• Latvia

• Lithuania

• Luxembourg

• Malta

• Netherlands

• Poland

• Portugal

• Romania

• Slovakia

• Slovenia

• Spain

• Sweden

• 4 Non EU Countries

• Iceland

• Liechtenstein

• Norway

• Switzerland

Who does the EU EES Apply to?

The Entry Exit System (EES) mainly applies to non-Schengen travelers entering Europe for short stays.

It applies:

• If you possess a short-stay visa.

• If you do not need a visa to stay in a Schengen country for a maximum of 90 days in any 180 days.

You can use this Short Stay Calculator to determine your authorized stay in the Schengen Area.

You’ll need an EES if you:

• Live in a country outside of the EU or the Schengen area.

• Are visiting Europe for tourism, business, or family trips.

• Are coming without a visa (visa-exempt short stay).  

You do not need EES (Exception from EES) if you:

• Are a citizen of the EU or Schengen countries.

• Have a long-stay visa and residence permit in Europe.

• Are a non-EU national with a residence card, immediately related to an EU or Schengen national.

• Are a non-EU national with a residence card or permit, immediately related to a non-EU national who can travel like an EU citizen.

• Are a non-EU national traveling for intra-corporate transfer, research, studies, training, voluntary service, pupil exchange, educational projects, or au-pairing.

• Are a national of Andorra, Monaco, or San Marino, or hold a Vatican City or Holy See passport.

• Are a diplomat or official with special privileges. 

• Are traveling under other special agreements (some border or military personnel, etc.)

You may still have to go through standard passport checks, but the EES process is not required.

How EU EES Impacts Non-Schengen Area Travelers

Starting from October 12, 2025, travelers from non-Schengen countries will notice a change at European borders. Here’s how it works.

Upon arriving in a Schengen country, you can use an EES Self-Service System or the mobile application (availability varies by region) to upload your passport, travel, and biometric information before approaching the border control officer.

Doing this allows the officer to verify your details quickly rather than scan and upload everything on the spot, saving time for both you and the border staff.

EES Self-Service System

• You can use the EES Self-Service System to scan your passport and add additional travel documentation details.

• You’ll then have to give your biometric data: a facial photo and fingerprints. The self-service kiosk can capture both directly.

• Finally, you'll have to accept a declaration form.
• Your entry will be automatically recorded in EES. 

NOTE: You need to have a biometric passport to use the EES Self-Service System. 

• The passport control officer will now receive all your details in their system and do a confirmation check. That's it.

Or if your country allows it, you can also use an EES mobile app.

Mobile App (Available only in select countries)

• The mobile app called “Travel to Europe”, developed by Frontex, will allow you to upload your photo and add your passport and travel data.

• It will then ask you for a selfie and match it to your passport photo.

• The passport control office will receive these details in their system.

• You still need to give fingerprints to the passport control officer at the border control lane, as the mobile app doesn’t scan that.

NOTE: If you hold a short-stay visa to enter the Schengen area, your fingerprints will already be stored in the Visa Information System (VIS) and will not be stored again in the EES. 

• If you’re not comfortable with automation, you can go to a border control lane directly (takes more time).

• In any of the instances, you will meet a passport control officer next, who will ask you further questions.

EES usually stores:

• Data listed in your travel document(s) (e.g., full name, date of birth, etc.)

• Date and place of entry and exit

• Facial image and fingerprints

• Whether you were refused entry

When leaving the Schengen country:

• Your passport will be scanned again, and your exit will be recorded in EES.

• When everything is set up correctly, border checks will be faster and smoother.
  

NOTE: Currently, the fingerprints of children below 12 years old are not scanned, but their entry and exit are still recorded in EES.

How long does the EES EU keep Personal Data?

The EES keeps your personal data only for the purposes it was collected and for specific durations as per GDPR and EU data protection principles:

• Entries, exits, and refused entries: 3 years from when they happen.

• Personal files: 3 years + 1 day from your last exit or refusal.

• If no exit is recorded: 5 years from the end of your allowed stay.

• Non-EU family traveling with EU/EEA/Swiss citizens, no residence card: 1 year from exit record.
  

After each period expires, data is automatically erased.

Cost and Requirements for the EU Entry Exit System (EES)

One of the most common questions that travelers have is whether they’ll have to pay for the EES system.

The good news is that EES is free. There is no separate fee to register or have your biometric information collected at the border.

However, depending on your nationality and purpose of travel, you may still have to apply and pay €20 for an ETIAS travel authorization before your trip. This is expected to start functioning in the last quarter of 2026. 

Children under 18 and the elderly over 70 are exempt from ETIAS fees. Also exempt are family members of EU citizens and family members of non-EU nationals who have the right to move freely throughout the European Union.

What You’ll Need to Travel

When EES comes into effect, travelers from non-Schengen countries should have the following ready when entering Europe:

• A valid passport (with at least 3-6 months’ validity after the intended departure date from the Schengen Area).

• ETIAS authorization (if required for your nationality and only in effect from the last quarter of 2026).

• Proof of accommodation or travel itinerary (some countries may ask).

• Travel insurance (mandatory for Schengen visa holders; highly recommended for visa-exempt travelers).

Pre-Registration for EES

To make your airport or border experience faster, the EU Entry Exit System (EES) is introducing pre-registration options through Self-Service Kiosks or a mobile application. 

*Exact launch dates and availability may vary by country.

What Pre-Registration Means

• You can submit your passport details, personal information, travel documents, and biometric data (photo and fingerprints) before going through border control.

• Your information will already be uploaded to the EES system, ready for quick verification at the border.

• This helps reduce waiting times and minimize errors at passport control.

• Pre-registration supports faster and more efficient processing for travelers.

How to Pre-Register for EES

• Use the EES Self-Service System at the airport or download the mobile app “Travel to Europe App”, developed by Frontex. (Select ONE method)

• Enter your personal and passport details accurately.

• Add your biometric data: both a facial photo and fingerprints.

  • The self-service kiosk can capture both directly.

  • The mobile app will allow you to upload your photo and document data. You will still have to give the fingerprints to the passport control officer.

• Go to the border control lane and meet the passport control officer, who will ask you further questions.

Alternatives to EES

There are currently no alternatives to EES if you’re not exempt from it. 

To avoid the EES, you can either not visit a Schengen nation or travel to a non-Schengen nation (e.g., the UK, Albania, Belarus, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia etc).

EES and ETIAS: How They Work Together

Many travelers get confused between the EES and ETIAS, but they serve different purposes, and most will require both in the near future.

ETIAS: Pre-Travel Authorization

• When it’s used: Before you leave home.

• Purpose: Checks if you’re eligible to enter Europe (security and health screening).

• Validity: One ETIAS approval is valid for multiple trips over several years.

EES: Border Tracking and Exit Tracking

• When it’s used: At airports, seaports, or land borders in the Schengen Area.

• Purpose: Automatically logs your entry and exit dates and collects biometric data (fingerprints and photos).

• Validity: Helps prevent overstays and speeds up future border crossings.

How They Work Together

• Before Travel: You apply for ETIAS online and get approved.

• Upon Arrival: EES records your entry automatically using your passport data, personal details, travel documents, and biometrics (only needed for the first entry). 

• Upon Departure: EES logs your exit without needing new biometric data.

Example: An American tourist applies for ETIAS online, then flies to France. At the airport, EES scans their passport and fingerprints. When leaving, EES logs their exit automatically.  

ETIAS + EES: Key Differences

Although ETIAS and EES are part of Europe’s updated border system, they have different purposes.

Here’s a simple way to compare them:

In simple terms:

• ETIAS = “Can I go?”  (Pre-trip permission)

• EES = “When did I go” (Tracks your entry and exit)
  

EES: Timeline for Implementation

Understanding the rollout of the EU Entry Exit System (EES) helps travelers plan their trip and avoid surprises at the border.

October 12, 2025: Progressive Implementation Begins

• EES starts gradually at airports, seaports, and land borders across the Schengen Area.

• Travelers from non-Schengen countries will begin providing biometric data (fingerprints and photo) when entering Europe.

2025-2026: Full Rollout Across Borders

• More border points would be fully EES-enabled.

• Data collection will be gradually introduced at border crossing points, with full implementation by 10 April 2026.

• Travelers may notice automated kiosks and new procedures replacing manual checks.

Last Quarter of 2026: ETIAS Launch 

• Travelers from visa-exempt countries will have to apply for this pre-travel authorization online.

• An ETIAS-approved visa will be valid for multiple trips over three years, simplifying future travel.

What a Gradual Rollout Means for You

The gradual rollout of EES means that not every border will be EES-ready immediately. Some airports and land crossings will adopt EES first, while others follow later.

This means you might still receive a traditional passport stamp at some borders, and biometric data will eventually be collected by 10 April 2026.  

Key Benefits for Travel

The EES and ETIAS aren’t just about security. They also help make traveling in Europe faster, easier, and more predictable. 

1. Faster Border Crossing

EES automates entry and exit checks, reducing wait times. Once your biometric data is registered, future trips are even quicker.

There is also no need for passport stamping after EES is fully operational (unless exceptions apply).

2. Improved Security and Peace of Mind

ETIAS screens travelers before departure, helping prevent problems at the border. 

EES accurately tracks your visit, lowering the risks of overstays or travel complications. It also supports border authorities in the fight against serious crimes and terrorism.

3. Simplified Travel Documentation

Digital records replace traditional passport stamps. ETIAS approval is valid for multiple trips, so you won’t have to reapply each time.

4. Better Planning and Predictability

The EES provides precise information on the maximum duration of authorized stays in the territory of all European countries.

Automated tracking ensures your entry and exit records are accurate. It makes visa, insurance, and travel compliance easier to manage. 

5. Preventing Irregular Migration

The EES will help track who comes in and out of the Schengen Area, using fingerprint and face data to stop people from overstaying, using fake identities, or misusing visa-free travel.

Travel Tips for Europe 2025

• Pre-register for EES using the Self-Service Kiosk or mobile app to speed up your airport border control experience.

• At land and sea borders, EES will also apply, and travelers may face slightly longer checks during the initial rollout as automation becomes fully operational.

• Once the ETIAS online portal is up and running (last quarter of 2026), apply for ETIAS well before your trip.

• Make sure your passport has a three-month validity beyond your planned stay and data matches your ETIAS application (once available).

• Store digital copies of your flight tickets, hotel reservations, and travel insurance on your phone.

• Use the internet in Europe with an Europe eSIM or an eSIM for any particular European country, and save up to 90% data roaming costs.

Stay Connected during your European Adventure

While EES and ETIAS make traveling safer and faster, staying connected is just as important.

An Europe eSIM lets you:

• Reliable Coverage and Speed: Enjoy strong 4G/5G internet whether you’re navigating France, Spain, Italy, or other European countries.

• Easy, Stress-Free Setup: No fiddling with SIM cards or waiting in airport lines. Just activate your eSIM at home and enable it upon landing—it’s that user-friendly.

• Connect like a Local: Skip tourist SIM counters. Your phone works on European local networks from the moment you land.

• Save Big on Roaming: Avoid paying high roaming charges. With our Europe eSIM plan, cut roaming fees up to 90%.

• Keep Your Number: Use your home SIM active for calls and SMS, while using the ConnectedYou eSIM Europe plan for data.

• Hotspot Ready: Share your connection with your laptop, tablet, or travel buddy anytime.

• Top-Ups Anytime: Running low? Add more data with a few taps.

• Support: Our team is always available to help 24x7.

Having a reliable Europe eSIM ensures you’re always connected, whether you’re crossing borders, checking travel updates, or exploring Europe’s hidden gems.