European Union member states have begun rolling out a new digital Entry/Exit System (EES) at the bloc’s external borders, marking a major shift in how non-EU nationals are registered and monitored when entering or leaving the Schengen area.
The automated system, which launched on Sunday, requires travellers to scan their passports and submit fingerprints and a photograph at border checkpoints. The rollout will be phased over six months before becoming fully operational on 10 April 2026, when traditional passport stamping will be replaced with electronic records.
According to European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, the EES is “the digital backbone of our new common European migration and asylum framework.” He said the system would help detect overstayers, combat identity fraud, and prevent illegal migration amid growing political pressure in some EU countries for tighter border control.
Under the scheme, non-EU citizens will register their personal details on first entry into the Schengen zone which includes 27 European countries except Ireland and Cyprus, but extends to Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Future journeys will only require facial biometric verification.
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“The six-month rollout gives member states, travellers, and businesses time to transition smoothly to the new procedures,” Brunner added.
For British travellers, EES registration will take place at the border before departure from the UK — at Dover, the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, and Eurostar’s St Pancras International in London. Freight and coach traffic began EES checks on Sunday, with passenger vehicle checks expected in November at Dover and by year’s end at Eurotunnel. Eurostar will introduce the process gradually, starting with some business travellers.
“We recognise that EES checks will be a significant change for British travellers,” said UK Minister for Border Security and Asylum Alex Norris, noting that both sides have worked to ensure a smooth transition.
“The UK and EU share a common goal of securing our borders, and these modernisation measures will help us protect citizens and prevent illegal migration,” Norris added.
