Traveling to Europe? Here's everything you need to know about the EES

Essential EES information

The European Union’s much-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) is finally coming into force in October 2025. A precursor to the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which is expected to start operating in late 2026, it will bring some major changes for travelers who are used to arriving in Europe for their vacation and simply showing their passport to border guards.

Read on to discover everything you need to know about the EU's new Entry/Exit System…

What will EES involve for travelers?

If you are a non-EU or non-Schengen resident visiting a country in the Schengen area for a short stay, you will be required to register your biometric details – fingerprints and a facial image – when you arrive at your destination airport. Children under 12 are exempt from the requirement to give fingerprints.

Who exactly will EES apply to?

EES will apply to all non-EU travelers making short visits when entering or leaving the 29 countries using the system: 25 EU Member States (except Ireland and Cyprus), plus Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

There are exemptions for non-EU nationals who are legally resident in an EU/Schengen country, or who hold a long-stay visa. 

When and how is it being introduced?

EES is officially being introduced on October 12, 2025 with a phased introduction over six months. In the first 60 days, it will not be mandatory for border posts to collect biometric data, but some may choose to begin doing so immediately. 

During the transition, passport stamps will generally continue, until stamping is fully phased out by April 2026. By spring 2026, it is anticipated that EES will be fully rolled out across the Schengen area, although British newspaper The Guardian reported that there will be a further 90 days when it can be scaled back if chaos ensues.

Why is it being introduced?

EES is part of the work the EU is doing to strengthen its border security. It will also ensure that visitors comply with the 90-day rule, which allows stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. 

As EES will record all entries and exits, automatically tracking time spent in the Schengen area, it will be easy to flag any overstayers. It will eventually replace the manual stamping of passports when visitors arrive in the EU. 

How exactly does the 90-day rule work?

You are allowed to stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period – days spent traveling to and from the area are included in this limit. However, when one 180-day period ends, another doesn’t simply begin.

Instead, you should think of it as a rolling window, with the 180 days being counted back from the day you enter or leave the Schengen area. It can seem confusing, but there are various apps that can help you calculate how long you can stay – and if all else fails, ask a border guard.

Do I need to do anything before traveling?

You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no fee for EES registration. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, has developed an app that allows non-EU travelers to pre-register their travel document data and facial image before arriving at the border. 

However, at the time of writing, only Sweden has said it will use the app, and it is unclear if and when other countries will adopt it. Be wary of any other external website claiming to offer to pre-register you for EES, as they are likely to be scams.

What questions will I be asked at the border?

Visitors may be asked to show proof of financial means, proof of accommodation, a return ticket, and medical or travel insurance. It is worth noting these questions are not a new EES requirement – border guards have always been able to ask these questions, although in fact they rarely do.

However, Eurostar passengers traveling from the UK will be required to answer these questions prior to departure, with a reminder that their answers are binding and that they may be required to show proof.

Do passengers traveling from the UK need medical or travel insurance?

This is an issue which has been causing some consternation, and confusion, among travelers. It seems that medical insurance is a French only requirement, but it will apply even if you are traveling non-stop through France to another European destination via Eurostar.

The UK global health insurance card (GHIC) will not be sufficient as France has demanded that any insurance is able to cover repatriation and death related costs, which GHIC does not. In short, if you are traveling to or through France you will need travel insurance.

Traveling from the UK via the port of Dover

Dover is implementing its own phased approach. From October 12, checks will only be applied to those traveling by coach. Remaining passengers will only be subject to the new system from November 1 – good news for families planning a half-term break this October.

The Western Docks has a new purpose-built processing area with self-service EES kiosks. There will be 12 kiosks for coach passengers and 72 for car passengers.

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Traveling from the UK via Eurotunnel

Eurotunnel will also begin implementing the new system with coach passengers – car passengers will follow a few weeks later. A total of 224 biometric kiosks have been installed across Eurostar terminals, including 106 at Folkestone, and 118 at Calais. 

With specialized EES road lanes also in place, Eurostar claims it will be able to process 2,000 people an hour at peak times.

Traveling from the UK via Eurostar

Eurostar passengers traveling from St Pancras International will find 49 EES kiosks as well as a small “premier” EES zone where they will register their details and answer a number of questions.

Eurostar believes that the additional screening process involved in EES can be fitted into the 75 minutes prior to departure that travelers are advised to arrive at the station. However, there’s an emergency overflow area upstairs if things are getting hectic. 

Traveling by cruise ship

Cruises that begin and end outside of the Schengen area (starting from a UK port, for example) will generally be exempt from EES checks, including for any day trips within the Schengen area. However, travelers who disembark or transfer beyond the ship within the Schengen area will need to complete the EES formalities, and checks may apply. 

Likewise, if your cruise begins within the Schengen area, you will need to complete the EES checks at embarkation.

Will the new system lead to delays?

As EES will take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete, it's highly likely there will be extra waiting time at border controls once the system starts, so you should factor this into your plans. Busy periods, including weekends and school holidays, are bound to incur extra delays.

With Dover already suffering from long lines during peak periods, there have been concerns that the EES could make things even worse. However, port authorities will be able to suspend checks for short periods if the situation becomes critical.

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