The countdown has officially started. After many years of delays, the European Union has confirmed that the long-awaited Entry/Exit System (EES) will be introduced in October 2025, changing the methods non-EU citizens enter and leave the 29 participating Schengen nations. This is not just another passport review, it is a game-changer that could affect thousands of travelers.
MEANING OF EES AND WHY IT MATTERS
The Entry/Exit System is an automated biometric border regulation system intended to crack down on overstays in the Schengen region and improving border safety. The system will supersede manual passport stamping with a digital, high technology procedure that logs:
- Passport and name details
- Pictures and fingerprints
- Place and date of entry and exit
On the other hand, every move you make will be trailed.
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WHO IS THIS APPLIED TO?
Suppose you are a national of a country outside the European Union, which includes the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, or any other visa-exempt nation, and you are visiting the Schengen area for short stays. In that case, you will be registered in the system.
There are two major classification of travelers impacted:
- Short stay visa holders
- Visa-excluded travelers of about 90 days in any 180 day duration.
When enrolled, your biometric information will be saved for 36 months; therefore, the first travel will take a prolonged period, but will be accessible through future accesses.
WHAT IS CHANGING AT THE BORDERS?
Under the Entry/Exit Systems, when you pass a Schengem external border, you will pass e-gates where:
- Your passports will be scanned
- Offer fingerprints
- Have your picture obtained
This information will be typically aligned against your past accesses and exits. Overstay even by 24 hours? The system will be aware and future trips to Europe could be risky.
PARTAKING NATIONS FOR NEW EU ENTRY/EXIT SYSTEM
The EES will be applied to all 29 Schengen nations, which includes:
Spain, Austria, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Denmark, Portugal, Estonia, Poland, Finland, Norway, France, Netherlands, Germany, Malta, Luxembourg, Greece, Lithuania, Hungary, Liechtenstein, Iceland, Latvia and Italy.
Exclusions: Ireland and Cyprus are not part of the Schengen Region and will continue to stamp passports manually.
ANTICIPATED ROLLOUT TIMELINE OF EXIT/ENTRY EU SYSTEM
European Union officials have stated that operations will begin in an advanced stage, starting in October 2025. This implies that the system will not go live in every location overnight. Instead, nations will gradually implement the technology over six months, slowly turning e-gates into the new norm.
EFFECTS FOR TRAVELERS AND BUSINESSES
- Say no to overstaying.
Even if you are traveling to Europe for vacation or attending back-to-back business seminars or meetings, every access and exit will be estimated. Disobeying the authorized duration of 90 days or the duration of a short-stay visa can have severe consequences, including access prohibitions.
- Plan, especially for work trips.
Firms forwarding workers to Europe are required to begin tracking every Schengen visit, which includes holidays, to prevent unintentional overstays during future business trips.
- Rejection to register results to no access
If a traveler declines to provide their biometric information at the border, they will be denied access to the Schengen region.
