Preparing travelling staff for Europe’s biometric border checks

The Entry/Exit System (EES) will be rolled out over six months, starting at major airports and eventually covering all external borders - air, sea and land - by April 2026.

What’s changing 

Instead of passport stamps, staff will have their photo, fingerprints and travel details recorded digitally. This data will be stored in a central system shared across all Schengen borders. The aim is to track entries and exits more accurately and enforce the limit on stays of 90 days within any 180-day period. 

The standard Schengen entry requirements remain unchanged, however always check your nationality-specific Schengen entry requirements and visa processes.

The EES applies to non-EU nationals entering the Schengen Area for short stays. EU residents and long-stay visa holders are exempt.

Where it applies

The system will be used at external borders across:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Initial rollout will begin at major international airports, with 10% of border points expected to adopt the system within the first 30 days.

What to expect at the border

There’s no need to apply before travel. Biometric registration will happen at border control booths or with immigration agents. The first biometric record will be valid for three years, making future entries quicker.

Border agents or kiosks may ask for extra travel details like accommodation confirmation or return flight details - this is standard.

Staff should expect longer queues during the initial rollout (October 2025 to April 2026), especially at busy airports as travellers undergo biometric registration for the first time.

Non-EU nationals should plan for delays and increased passenger processing time, particularly if they hold non-biometric passports, which can’t be used at automated gates.

Some airports may still stamp passports while also collecting biometrics, depending on how quickly they roll out the new system.

Passport validity and your personal data

Staff must ensure that their passport is valid for at least three months beyond the planned date of departure from the Schengen Area and have at least two blank pages. 

The European Union is taking specific steps to keep data collected by the EES protected and will ensure that it is protected against abuse and access will be restricted to national authorities. Information regarding data protection and how personal data is being protected by the EU can be found via the official European Union website.