The EU's new Entry/Exit System (EES): what travellers need to know
The European Union has introduced a new border-control system called the Entry/Exit System (EES): it started operating on 12 October 2025 and has been fully operational since 10 April 2026. The change is designed to strengthen security and streamline border checks for everyone crossing the external frontiers of the Schengen area.
What is the EES?
The EES is an automated electronic system that will record entry and exit data for non-EU nationals crossing the external borders of the Schengen area. It will log the travel history of foreign visitors to the EU, regardless of whether they need a visa to enter.
How will the EES work?
Before crossing the border, travellers will enter their passport details and their date of arrival - either at a self-service kiosk or through a mobile app. At passport control, the officer will already see the information you have submitted, which should speed up the whole process.
What else you should know about the EES
- On repeat crossings, a traveller's personal data will be stored in the EES, so at the border it will only be necessary to scan fingerprints and take a photo.
- Holders of a biometric passport, along with frequent visitors to the EU, will be able to use automated border control gates without a border officer's involvement.
- Entry and exit stamps will no longer be placed in passports.
- Exempt from EES registration: EU citizens, holders of an EU residence permit, and holders of an EU long-stay (category D) visa.
If you are planning a trip to the EU, make sure you are up to date on all the changes and ready for the new entry and exit procedures.
How the first trip works after 10 April 2026
- A border officer or a self-service kiosk scans the passport.
- The system takes a facial image and four fingerprints. Children under 12 give only a photo.
- The officer may ask about the purpose of the trip, accommodation, travel funds and a return ticket.
- The record is kept for 3 years or until the passport expires. On later trips a face or fingerprint check is enough.
The first crossing takes longer than usual, so allow extra time at airports and land borders. With a new passport you register again.
Where the system applies
The system runs at the external borders of 29 countries: 25 EU states, all except Cyprus and Ireland, plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. It does not apply at internal borders between them. Bulgaria and Romania have been full Schengen members since 1 January 2025 and use the system too.
The 90/180 rule is now counted by computer
Border guards used to count days from stamps and could err either way. Now the system sees every entry and exit date and shows how many days are left in the 180-day window. Overstays are recorded automatically. An overstayer's data is kept for 5 years instead of 3, and consulates see the record at the next visa application: it is a common reason for refusals and entry bans.
Days on a national D visa or a residence permit do not count towards the 90 days, so holders of these documents are not registered.
We will review your situation for free
Describe your task in the chat and we will tell you where to start.
What it means: an example with a Russian passport
- A Schengen visa is still required. Since 7 November 2025 Russian citizens mostly receive single-entry visas, with multiple-entry visas only in limited cases, such as close relatives of EU citizens and of people lawfully living in the EU.
- Fingerprints given for the visa do not replace border registration: it is done separately on the first entry.
- If you hold a residence permit or national visa of one of the countries, show it at entry: you are then not registered in the system.
The European travel authorisation: what comes next
The next step after the entry/exit system is an electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt travellers. It was planned for late 2026, but in summer 2026 the EU removed that date from the official website. It will cost €20 and be valid for 3 years or until the passport expires. Russian citizens will not need it: they still need a visa.
If you travel to Europe often, a residence permit in one of the countries is simpler than a new single-entry visa each time. We will find the right option in the chat.
How to prepare for the border
- keep your accommodation booking, return ticket, insurance and proof of travel funds at hand: they may be asked for at registration;
- when connecting within Schengen, registration happens at the first airport of entry, so allow extra time for the connection;
- if the kiosk cannot read your fingerprints or face, a border officer registers you manually, which takes longer;
- refusing to give biometrics means refusal of entry.
FAQ
What is the EES in simple terms?
Will they still stamp your passport?
Who is exempt from the EES?
Do you have to give fingerprints to enter the EU?
Will the EES cause longer border queues?
How long is data kept in the entry/exit system?
Do children give fingerprints at the EU border?
Do you need the European travel authorisation?
Where does the entry/exit system not apply?
What happens if I refuse to give fingerprints at the EU border?
Do I go through full registration at every entry?
How do I know how many of the 90 days are left?
Do I need to register again after getting a new passport?
How often do you travel to the Schengen area?
If the new border checks make EU trips harder, we find a residence permit in a Schengen country that fits your income or business and prepare the documents. The catalogue lists all countries.
The Murblz consultant replies straight away in the chat on this page. Describe your situation and we will work it out together.
Free consultation