Europe to launch a new Entry/Exit System in October

Starting October 2025, non-EU travellers visiting the Schengen Area will experience a major change at border crossings as the European Union rolls out its new Entry/Exit System (EES). This digital border control system will replace traditional passport stamping with biometric and electronic registration, marking a significant shift in how short-stay entries and exits are recorded.

EU’s broader undergoes a digital transformation

The EES is aimed at improving efficiency and enhancing security for travellers who are not citizens of EU member states or of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland. Designed for those entering the Schengen Area for short stays—up to 90 days within any 180-day period—the system will register each entry and exit, along with biometric data such as facial images and fingerprints.

The move is part of the EU’s broader digital transformation and is intended to address a range of concerns, from identity fraud to overstaying. By automatically recording the dates and locations of travel, the EES will also support authorities in identifying overstayers and enforcing migration policies more effectively. It will store information about entry refusals and monitor repeat entries by the same travellers, reducing reliance on manual checks and passport stamps.

Travellers entering any of the 29 participating countries—including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the Netherlands—will have their information captured digitally upon arrival and departure. This applies regardless of whether the visitor requires a visa. However, it is important to note that Cyprus and Greece, while part of the EU, will still manually stamp passports for now.

The EES is not expected to cause delays, as the process will be automated and integrated with e-gates and border kiosks. The system aligns with the EU’s wider efforts to modernise its borders and ensure safer, smarter, and more efficient travel for non-EU nationals within the Schengen Zone.

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