What is the EES?
The EES (Entry Exit System) is a digital, biometric border‑control system for non‑EU nationals (eg from US, UK, Canada and Australia & other countries) crossing the external borders of the Schengen area (Schengen area is mostly EU countries (eg Italy) and some non EU eg Norway and Switzerland.
It replaces the manual stamping of passports for short stays (up to 90 days in any 180‑day period) with electronic registration of entries and exits. It records personal and travel document details, date & place of entry and exit and biometric data (facial image + fingerprints).
The EES is not a visa or authorisation system. It’s a tracking/registration system.
No pre‑travel application required: you don’t need to do anything ahead of your trip (no forms or fees) for EES. Registration happens at the border.
No cost to travellers for EES registration.
Which are the Key Dates & Rollout?
Start date: 12 October 2025 — the system begins operation in selected external border points.
Rollout period (progressive deployment): over six months from 12 October 2025 to 9 or 10 April 2026, during which different border crossings will adopt the system at different times.
Full operation: by 10 April 2026, all external border crossing points in the participating countries should be using EES and passport stamping is intended to be discontinued in normal operations.
During the transitional period, both systems may coexist (i.e. some crossings still stamping passports, while others are using EES).
How does It Works for Travellers?
On First Entry After 12 October 2025
You will need to provide biometric data: your photograph and fingerprints will be taken when you first cross a participating external Schengen border after the system is live.
Your passport/travel document will be scanned and recorded.
The system creates a digital “file” for you in the EES database.
On Subsequent Crossings
Your identity will be verified against the stored biometric and document data.
You may only need simpler verification (e.g. facial recognition) if your data is already in the system and still valid.
How Long is it Valid for?
Records of entries/exits are stored for 3 years from the date they were created.
The individual file containing your data is stored for 3 years and 1 day from the date of your last exit.
Who Is Exempt or Not Affected?
EU / Schengen nationals (citizens of member states) are not subject to EES for their usual travel within the area.
Long‑stay visas, residence permits, legal residents in Schengen states are often exempt from needing to register under EES. (If you hold a valid residence permit, etc.).
Children under some age (e.g. under 12) may be exempt from fingerprinting (though their photo may still be taken).
Also, some border crossings may not yet have deployed full EES capabilities during the rollout, so at those points more traditional checks or passport stamping may persist temporarily.
What should you Expect?
No more routine passport stamps over time (after full deployment), because entry and exit are logged electronically instead.
Border checks may take slightly longer initially, especially when biometric registration is required. Expect possible delays in the early months. In Italy expect queues Rome Fiumicino (15-20 mins at Kiosks), Milan Malpensa (queues in Oct & November). Genoa and Palermo to follow on October 20 2025. All Italian ports and airports will have implemented by April 2026.
You should carry documents proving your status (residence permit, visa, etc.) to show exemption (if applicable).
The system helps border authorities monitor overstays (i.e. people staying longer than 90 days in 180 days) more reliably.
How the EE system compares to the ETIAS?
ETIAS stands for: European Travel Information and Authorisation System
It is a pre-travel authorisation system — like the U.S. ESTA — that will be mandatory for visa-free travellers (like British & US citizens) who want to enter Schengen Area countries for short stays.
The purpose of ETIAS is to screen travellers before they arrive for security, migration risk, or public health concerns
Launch Date Expected late 2026 (delayed several times).
This will require prior online application and payment of a fee. More details to be provided once we have a start date.
The ETIAS is not a visa — it’s a travel authorisation for visa-free travellers
How do the EE and ETIAS Work Together?
They are complementary — each is part of a broader EU border management / security strategy. Some of the ways they interlink:
ETIAS uses some of the same / interoperable infrastructure / databases as EES.
EES starts first; ETIAS follows. So when you travel first under EES, you’ll be doing the biometric entry/exit stuff. Later, ETIAS will add the pre‑travel authorization step.
Carriers (airlines, ferries, etc.) will have to verify both EES compliance (when applicable) and ETIAS authorisation (once required) before letting a person board.