The European Union has begun rolling out the Entry/Exit System (EES), an automated IT system that is changing how non‑EU nationals are processed at the external borders of the Schengen Area.
The move marks a shift away from manual passport stamping towards digital entry and exit records, and it is already reshaping border procedures for British and other non‑EU visitors to Spain, Italy, Portugal and the wider Schengen zone.
What is the EU's Entry/Exit System?
The European Union's Entry/Exit System (EES) is designed to register the entry and exit of non-EU nationals at the external borders of the Schengen Area. This new electronic process will replace the long-standing practice of manually stamping passports for both short-term visa holders and visa-exempt travellers.
EES forms part of the EU’s wider “smart borders” programme. Each time an eligible traveller crosses an external Schengen border, the system records:
- Name and basic personal details
- Travel document information, such as passport number and expiry date
- Biometric data (a facial image and, in many cases, fingerprints)
- The date, time and place of entry or exit
- The authorised length of stay
By automating these checks, EES is intended to modernise border management, improve the detection of overstays beyond the permitted 90 days in any 180‑day period, and strengthen security across the Schengen Area.
EES start date: rollout in 2025
The Entry/Exit System entered into operation in the final quarter of 2025. A phased rollout began on 12th October 2025, when participating states started activating the system at selected air, sea and land border points.
Key milestones for the launch and rollout:
- From 12th October 2025: EES begins operating at a growing number of external border crossings across 29 participating European countries.
- Phased deployment: Member states are bringing airports, seaports and land borders online in stages rather than switching the entire external frontier on in a single day.
- By around April 2026: the EU’s target is for EES to be fully operational across all external Schengen borders.
During this transition, travellers may encounter different procedures depending on where they cross the border.
New border process: EU fingerprint checks and facial scans
The most visible change for travellers under the Entry/Exit System is the introduction of routine biometric data capture. Once EES is active at a particular border crossing, the process for most non‑EU visitors typically includes:
- First trip after activation:
- Travellers present their passport at a manned booth or self‑service kiosk.
- A facial image is taken, and four fingerprints may be scanned.
- These biometric identifiers, together with passport data and the details of the border crossing, are stored in the EES database for three years.
- Subsequent trips:
- The system recognises returning travellers based on their passport and biometrics already on file.
- At many airports, passengers can move to automated e‑gates, where they scan their passport and have their face or fingerprints checked against the stored record.
- The system updates the digital entry or exit record, further reducing reliance on physical passport stamps.
How the EES System will affect UK and non-EU travellers
The EU Entry/Exit System applies to most non‑EU citizens, officially referred to as third‑country nationals, who travel to the Schengen Area for a short stay. It covers both:
- Visa‑required travellers holding a short‑stay Schengen visa
- Visa‑exempt travellers, such as citizens of the UK, United States, Canada, Australia and many other countries
For British nationals, who are now treated as third‑country nationals after Brexit, EES records each entry and exit and automatically calculates how many days remain under the 90‑days‑in‑180‑day rule.
However, EES does not apply in all circumstances. The following categories are generally exempt from EES registration:
- Non‑EU citizens who hold a valid residence permit issued by a participating EU or Schengen state
- Non‑EU citizens with a long‑stay visa (often referred to as a D visa) allowing extended residence in a member state
- EU citizens themselves, who continue to use their EU passports or ID cards without EES registration
What travellers are experiencing on the ground
In the first months of the Entry/Exit System rollout, bottlenecks have been concentrated at Spain’s busiest leisure gateways rather than evenly across Europe. Spanish hotel and tourism groups have highlighted repeated queues at Málaga, Tenerife and Lanzarote, where large numbers of non‑EU passengers are having fingerprints and facial images taken for the first time under the new rules.
At peak arrival times, particularly on UK holiday flights, waits of close to an hour at passport control have been reported when several aircraft land in quick succession and not all biometric e‑gates are open.
By contrast, Spain’s biggest hubs such as Madrid‑Barajas and Barcelona‑El Prat have so far seen a more mixed picture, with busy periods but generally smoother flows as border police and airport operator Aena adjust staffing and lane allocation.
EES vs ETIAS: key differences
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is often mentioned in the same breath as the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), but the two serve different functions and operate at different stages of the travel process.
- EES, currently being rolled out, is a border management system used at the moment of crossing the external border.
- ETIAS, planned for the end of 2026, is a pre‑travel authorisation for visa‑exempt nationals only. It operates before departure, in a way similar to the United States’ ESTA or Canada’s eTA.
The relationship between the two systems is chronological and functional:
- ETIAS will check eligibility and potential security risks before a visa‑exempt traveller sets off.
- EES will then record the actual entry and exit once the traveller reaches the external border.
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