The new EES is an automated IT system for registering travellers from third-countries, both short stay visa holders and visa exempt travellers each time they cross an EU external border and will be introduced in 2025
The UK Foreign., Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued an alert concerning travel to all European Union (EU) countries.
On March 17 the FCDO added a new piece of advice to the travel pages covering Spain, Greece, Italy and the other EU countries. It reads: “The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is expected to start in October 2025. It is not currently in operation. The European Union will inform about the specific start date of the EES before its launch.”
The alert gives a better idea of when the EES, or Entry/Exit System, is due to come into force. The automated IT system designed to register third-country travellers—both those holding short-stay visas and visa-exempt individuals—each time they cross an EU external border. Concerns have been mounting for some times over potential delays due to the impending launch of the EU’s new EES.
This system will supersede the current practice of manually stamping passports, a process deemed “which is time consuming, does not provide reliable data on border crossings and does not allow a systematic detection of over-stayers” and unreliable for tracking border crossings or detecting overstays, as per the European Commission’s website.
For Britons, this means that anyone travelling to a Schengen area country using a UK passport will need to provide biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, upon their initial arrival.
READ MORE: Hidden UK town – named one of the best – has hardly any tourists for one reason
How does the EES work?
The system will gather your identity information, fingerprints, facial images, and travel documents. It will then log the date and location of your entry and exit, any stays up to a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period, and any instances of entry refusal.
The EES will effectively replace the traditional passport stamp. The EES will apply to all non-EU nationals, both those requiring visas and visa-exempt travellers, within the Schengen area.
Your personal data will be utilised by authorities in member states, including border guards and consular officers handling visas. Law enforcement authorities within member states and Europol will also have extended access to the data stored in the EES for criminal identification and intelligence purposes.
Upon crossing the border, you’ll proceed to a self-service kiosk where your details, identity, fingerprints and documents will be verified against security databases, followed by an interaction with a border guard. A traveller’s digital record will remain valid for three years. During this period, those re-entering the Schengen area will only need to provide their fingerprints and a photo at the border upon entry and exit.
Why is there a change in the system?
The European Commission has proposed the EES as part of efforts to modernise external border management. The aim is to enhance the quality of external border controls within the Schengen Area, strengthen internal security, combat terrorism and serious crime, systematically identify individuals overstaying their visas, and assist member states in managing the growing number of travellers to the EU without the need to increase the number of border guards.
What is the anticipated result?
The EES is anticipated to offer swift and automated information to border officials during checks, including the denial of entry for non-EU nationals. It will also facilitate electronic verification of entry refusals in the EES, provide detailed guidance to travellers on the maximum duration of their authorised stay, identify individuals overstaying their permitted period, and lend evidence-based support to visa policy.
For law enforcement purposes, the EES aims to assist in identifying terrorists, criminals, suspects, and even victims of crime. Additionally, it will maintain a record of travel histories of non-EU nationals, encompassing crime suspects, perpetrators, or victims.
So, what does this mean for Brits?
Once implemented, British citizens will be required to submit their details, including facial images and fingerprints, upon their initial entry into a Schengen area country. For subsequent entries into Schengen area countries over the next three years, travellers will need to provide fingerprints and a photo at the border, both upon entry and exit.
The UK Government is working closely with ports and carriers to ensure that the EES registration process is straightforward for anyone travelling to the Schengen area. This includes allocating £3.5 million each to Eurostar, Eurotunnel, and the Port of Dover. Eurostar anticipates that the EES registration will be quick and hassle-free, with plans to set up 50 kiosks across three locations for travellers to complete the necessary checks.
Eurotunnel is set to install over 100 kiosks, predicting that EES checks will only extend journey times by a little over five minutes. Meanwhile, the Port of Dover has plans for 24 kiosks dedicated to coach passengers, with car passengers being registered via agents and tablets.
