Starting this Sunday (October 12th), all non-EU citizens, including British travelers, will see changes in their way of traveling to and from the European Union as the long-awaited biometric entry-exit system will be implemented.
The new system, called the Entry/Exit System (EES), will require all non-EU citizens to register their personal information including fingerprints and facial images upon their first entry into the Schengen Area (all EU countries except Ireland and Cyprus, as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein).
The electronic system will eliminate the requirement for manual passport stamping at external EU borders, instead creating digital records that link travel documents with personal identities through biometric technology.
The EU aims to modernize external border management, prevent illegal immigration, combat identity fraud, and identify overstayers through this system.
The system will monitor whether those who do not require a visa to enter the EU comply with the rule of staying a maximum of 90 days within a 180-day period.
Upon initial arrival in the Schengen Area, individuals will have to scan their passports, register their fingerprints, and provide facial scans.
Upon departure, travelers’ details will be cross-checked with the EES database to verify compliance with existing residency limit regulations, and record their exit.
Subsequent travels will only require facial biometric verification.
Children under 12 will need to register with the EES but will only require facial scans or photos, and are exempt from paying EES fees.
The upcoming biometric entry-exit checks will take place at international airports, ports, train stations, and road border checkpoints in the Schengen Area.
In the UK, EES registration will occur upon exiting the country at the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, and Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras, overseen by French border officials. Travelers arriving at their destinations will not need to undergo checks again upon departure.
Data collection will be phased in at border crossings with the goal of full implementation by April 10, 2026, to ensure smooth border operations without long queues.
Given the phased implementation of EES, the EU is confident that significant disruptions will be avoided. Border officials can temporarily halt checks if processing times become excessively long.
Starting October 12th, only coach traffic for both passengers and freight will undergo EES checks at the Port of Dover and Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone.
Passenger vehicle checks in Dover and Eurotunnel will follow in November and by the end of the year respectively. Eurostar has announced plans to introduce new border procedures gradually.
However, the UK government has advised travelers to allow extra time for their journeys to accommodate the new EU system, and the Road Haulage Association has cautioned that wait times might increase during peak periods.
The real test will come during the Easter holiday traffic in 2026 and subsequent summer vacations, when many families will be traveling after the EES implementation.
EES is a precursor to another system, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), expected to be operational by the end of 2026.
Non-Schengen Area citizens will be required to apply for ETIAS authorization, providing personal information and travel details, and paying a €20 fee before traveling.
The authorization will be valid for three years or until the passport expiration, whichever comes first.
Since April, European visitors traveling to the UK have also been required to obtain an electronic travel permit prior to their trip.