EU Begins Phased Rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES) for Border Control

The European Union on 12 October 2025 began a phased rollout of the Entry/Exit System (EES) to digitally register the entry and exit of third-country nationals. Connecting border checkpoints and switching to the new technology will take around six months, Reuters
reports. Full deployment of the system—replacing passport stamps with electronic records—is expected by April 2026.

The EES is designed for third-country nationals on short-stay visas, as well as visa-exempt travelers permitted to stay for up to 90 days within any 180-day period.

At first entry, travelers from outside the EU must complete a biometric procedure: scan their passport, provide fingerprints, and have a photo taken. Children under 12 are exempt. The data are stored in a shared database and used at subsequent crossings for faster identity verification. Afterwards, only a facial biometric check against the existing record is required. If a traveler overstays, the system automatically records the violation. In cases of refusal of entry, a corresponding note is also added to the database.



The main goals of EES are to enhance security across EU countries and improve the efficiency of border checks. The system helps combat identity fraud: collecting biometrics enables reliable identification of entrants and prevents the use of forged documents. Electronic registration should also speed up processing and reduce wait times.

Earlier, it was assumed that crossing borders with the new technologies would require a biometric passport. It is now officially confirmed there is no strict requirement. Travelers may use regular (non-biometric) passports as long as they are valid and all other entry conditions are met. However, to use automated border gates available at certain airports and major crossings, a biometric passport is necessary, as it contains an embedded electronic chip with the holder’s data.

The European Commission presented the EES project on 6 April 2016 as part of the updated Smart Borders package. After negotiations with the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, a political agreement was reached in July 2017. The regulation establishing the system, together with amendments to the Schengen Borders Code, was adopted on 20 November 2017 and entered into force on 29 December 2017. Implementation was postponed for several years due to technical reasons. One of the most recent triggers for delay was the Olympics in France, amid concerns over potential impacts on tourist flows and participants’ travel.

In spring 2025, the European Parliament and the Council agreed on a phased transition, adopting Regulation (EU) 2025/1534, which allows temporary derogations from previously set rules to enable gradual launch. The document was formally adopted on 18 July and entered into force on 26 July. Four days later, the European Commission set 12 October 2025 as the start date for EES operations.



The new system will be implemented across all Schengen countries, including Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, but will not apply in Ireland and Cyprus, which remain outside the agreement. Because member states are adapting gradually, border services will use the old and new registration procedures in parallel during the transition. Completion is expected by 10 April 2026.

The United Kingdom, which left the EU, has already begun EES-style checks for outbound traffic through the ports of Dover and Folkestone for freight and coaches, with passenger cars to follow from November. London’s St Pancras Eurostar terminal has started using the new technologies for business passengers.

The UK’s Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Alex Norris, stated that the country is “working closely with EU partners to ensure a smooth transition to the new procedures.” He said border modernization serves the shared goal of protecting citizens and preventing illegal migration. The EU Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner called EES the “digital foundation of the new pan-European system of migration and asylum.” In his view, a unified database will make it easier to spot visa overstayers, fight document forgery, and prevent illegal migration.



The EES will become the largest biometric database in the EU’s history. Brussels expects that by April 2026 the system will operate at all external Schengen borders and serve as the basis for the EU’s next step: the ETIAS travel authorization system.