EU Entry/Exit System (EES) – all you need to know

The EU has long been planning to introduce a new and updated system for border checks, in order to increase border security. EES will see non-EU nationals provide fingerprints and photographs to enter the member states.

Although it has had a number of delays and setbacks, it looks set to go live this year.

The EU announced that there would be two separate, but interconnected travel schemes for Brits (and other non-EU citizens) – one being EES, and the other the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS).

This driving advice guide looks at what the EES will mean for UK travellers, and how the system will work.

The EU Entry/Exit System – also known as EES – will be a new border management system for non-EU citizens travelling to member states within the Schengen zone. The zone comprises most EU countries plus Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland but excludes the Republic of Ireland and Cyprus.

The European Union has, for a long time, pushed for an updated and technologically advanced border security and immigration process for travellers to the region.

With the new EES system, the EU will collect, process, store, and share data on entry, exit, and refusal of entry of non-EU citizens visiting the Schengen area from Autumn 2025.

Replacing the current process which sees passports stamped, the system will use a new form of data collection – biometric information. Everyone travelling will need to provide a fingerprint and/or have their face photographed, alongside providing the normal personal information present on a passport (name, nationality etc).

EES will also help EU nations track a visitor’s stay in the region, so that non-EU citizens can be tracked for staying too long or even for unauthorised visits. Visitors from the UK are restricted to 90 days’ stay in any 180 days within the Schengen area.

According to the EU, by centralising the data process and tracking systems, it will allow police and immigration offices to highlight security risks and act accordingly in a more efficient manner.

Following the original announcement of the EES, the European Commission issued a statement: “Over the past years we have been working to strengthen and protect our external borders to safeguard and increase the security of the Schengen area.

“It is an important step towards achieving more effective border management and better oversight of who is crossing the EU's external borders – and the Commission warmly welcomes this decision.

“The Entry/Exit System is a priority initiative which will modernise the management of the EU external border and contribute to the fight against terrorism and serious crime.

“It will replace the stamping of passports and will allow for an increased automation of border controls, improved detection of document and identity fraud as well as better monitoring of unauthorised short stays of non-EU nationals.”

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In time, the EU Entry/Exit System will replace many of the current customs processes currently in place, by using a combination of data collection, processing, and sharing mechanisms across the Schengen area.

The EES system will work when non-EU citizens enter the Schengen area. Initially, they will need to provide biometric information - a fingerprint and have their photo taken - along with their passport. The date they are entering will also be recorded. During subsquent border crossings, they may be required to provide a further fingerprint and/or have their face scanned, along with their passport as usual.

Border officials will use the system to perform automated checks to verify the authenticity of travel documents and biometric data.

EES then tracks the visitor throughout the duration of their stay. This is so they can detect cases of overstaying or unauthorised visits to other countries.

The Entry/Exit System (EES) is anticipated to launch in October 2025, though it is not yet operational.

The European Union will announce the exact start date closer to the time.

If you're traveling to a Schengen area country with a UK passport, you’ll need to provide your biometric information, such as fingerprints or a facial image, upon arrival. This is expected to be at the border crossing.

Over time, this new system will replace the current practice of manually stamping passports at the border.

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Although there is no information currently available on the precise date this will impact Brits driving to Europe, there are going to be changes to visits to the continent.

The system will be in operation at the Port of Dover for ferries travelling across the English Channel, and at the Eurotunnel (Le Shuttle) terminal in Folkestone.

The European Commission hasn't yet released all the details of how the system will work, although they have said they plan to introduce it in a gradual and flexible way.

RAC Europe spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “Although it remains to be seen what impact the changes will have when it comes to the time it takes drivers to get through border controls and into the Schengen zone, it’s well worth anyone planning a trip over the Channel from the autumn being aware of what will be expected of them.

"We’ll aim to provide as much accurate information as we can to assist travellers as soon as it becomes available. In the first instance, we’d advise allowing much more time than usual for journeys, especially during peak holiday travel periods.”