About the EU's New Entry/Exit System (EES)

To streamline the monitoring of people entering and leaving the Schengen zone, the EU has introduced a new border policy called the Entry/Exit System (EES).

This system, in addition to others like ETIAS (which is going to be launched later this year) and Schengen travel insurance, helps keep the Schengen area secure.

If you're planning to visit Europe or regularly travel within the Schengen zone, you should know a little bit about EES ahead of time for a smoother experience crossing borders.

Latest updates

October 12, 2025: EES launches on the Schengen zone's external borders.

October 10, 2025: The EU announces that there will be a 6-month transitional period from EES's start date, making the rollout complete on April 10th, 2026.

March 6, 2025: EES is pushed to October 2025.

October 19, 2023: A new timeline for EES is announced, pushing the date back again to Autumn of 2024.

January 13, 2023: Contractor delays. The expected launch date is changed to the end of 2023.

September 19, 2022: EES's launch date is pushed back to May 2023.

November 17, 2017: The Entry/Exit System was formally established (Regulation (EU) 2017/2226) with an expected 2022 launch.

What is the EES?

The EES (Entry/Exit System) is a digital border management system for the Schengen area. It automatically registers travelers entering and leaving the Schengen area.

It was launched on October 12th, 2025, with a six-month rollout, but has had a few hiccups along the way, causing transitional delays in some locations.

This new border management technology is designed to help make Schengen borders more efficient and more secure.

EES is an automated border process. It's essentially a "kiosk" that non-EU travelers pass through. When going through the system, travelers scan their passports. This scan digitally records the date, time, and specific place of their arrival or departure.

Typically, there is also facial recognition technology.

This means that the first time you pass through EES, a border official will need to take the traveler's photograph to enter it into the system.

In the past, every time a non-EU foreigner entered the Schengen area, they'd have their passport manually checked and stamped by a border agent. The European Union identified that these kinds of manual reviews can fall victim to human error.

With EES, traveler information will be accurate and automated, removing the risk of human accidents or inconsistencies. It also removes the beloved passport stamp.

Why EES is being implemented

The Entry/Exit System was first proposed in November of 2017.

The EES has been developed to address several key issues:

• Border security: The Schengen area has very secure borders, and the EU is dedicated to not only keeping it that way but also making it more and more secure.
  
  With a digital record of entries and exits, authorities can more easily track people overstaying their visas or trips and take action if needed. They will also be able to track (and respond) to crime with more accuracy.
• Streamlining border processes: This system should reduce waiting times at Schengen borders by making the entry and exit process faster and more efficient.
  
  It replaces the need for manual stamps and could be particularly beneficial at busy airports and land border crossings
• Accurate monitoring: For third-country nationals (anyone who isn’t a citizen of the EU or Schengen area country), the EES will automatically calculate how long they have been in the Schengen area, making it easier to comply with the 90 days within 180 days rule. It makes it easier for authorities to detect overstays, too.
• Support for law enforcement: The data collected by the EES will help in criminal investigations by providing accurate information on who entered or exited the Schengen area and when.

The data EES collects

When travelers pass through the Entry/Exit System, four key pieces of data are collected: Biometric data, passport information, entry/exit details, and visa information.

Biometric data: This includes facial images and possible fingerprints.

Passport information: Passport details are scanned electronically and securely.

Entry and exit details: The system records the date, time, and border crossing point for both entry and exit.

Visa information: Some travelers have to get a Schengen visa to visit the Schengen area. If that's the case, this information is linked to the traveler's EES profile.

When crossing an external Schengen border, the EES logs all of this data automatically, streamlining movement (and information collection) in and out of the zone.

A new app called the Travel to Europe app has also been announced, which will help travelers share the necessary information ahead of their trip, where implemented.

While passport stamps are going by the wayside, travelers will still meet with a border control agent for a visual identity check.

Expected impacts

For most travelers, the EU's EES will simplify the entry and exit process by automating it. Instead of waiting in line to see a border agent, there are several kiosks that travelers can enter, one at a time.

For more frequent visitors, or those who plan to stay for longer periods of time, it'll be important to be mindful of the 90-day limit. Visa-exempt travelers (such as US and UK citizens) can only stay in the Schengen area, regardless of the country, for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

Unlike before, the EES will automatically flag any overstays. This means that penalties could be enforced more quickly.

The European Union has announced that they expect the EES to make the border crossing experience more efficient and secure.

Travelers don't need to prepare in advance for EES. On arrival, they will be directed to the new border process.

Entry/Exit System FAQs

When does EES start?

How do you apply for EES?

What does EES stand for?

Are EES and ETIAS the same thing?

Sources

Information on EES:
https://travel-europe.europa.eu/en/ees

Press releases and announcements: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_2332

https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2022-002640-ASW_EN.html

https://www.eulisa.europa.eu/news-and-events/news/eu-lisa-management-board-held-tallinn-0

https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/jha/2023/10/19-20/

https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/news/revised-timeline-ees-and-etias-2025-03-06_en

Regulation (EU) 2017/2226:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/2226/oj/eng