Updated: August 2025, The EU is implementing major changes for non-European visitors entering the Schengen Area. On October 12, 2025, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) will officially launch, introducing biometric passport control (fingerprinting and facial scans) at external Schengen borders.
Meanwhile, a separate program called ETIAS, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, has been pushed back to late 2026.
These initiatives aim to strengthen security and track visitor entry/exit, but they also mean additional steps that millions of travelers will need to prepare for. Below we break down what to expect from EES and ETIAS, why they’re being introduced, and how to get ready.
EES Launches October 12, 2025
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is a long-planned EU-wide digital registry of non-EU visitors. After several delays, officials have now set 12 October 2025 as the start date for EES operations.
From that day forward, travelers from outside the EU can expect new border procedures when entering or exiting Schengen countries. Instead of a simple passport stamp, you will have your passport scanned and biometric data (a photo of your face and fingerprint scans) collected at passport control.
This process will create a digital record of your entry or exit in an EU database, replacing the old ink stamp in your passport.
Who is affected? EES applies to third-country nationals on short visits – in other words, travelers who are not citizens of the EU or Schengen Area. This includes tourists, business travelers, and other visitors from countries like the UK, US, Canada, Australia, etc., when they enter for up to 90 days in a 180-day period (the standard visa-free limit).
For example, British passport holders visiting Europe will be subject to EES checks, as will Americans, Canadians, and other visa-exempt visitors.
Notably, Irish citizens are exempt due to the Common Travel Area, and people with EU residence permits or long-stay visas are also exempt from EES requirements.
Importantly, people of all ages must undergo EES border processing – though children under 12 won’t be fingerprinted (they still need a facial photo.
What will change at the border? In practical terms, travelers should be prepared for a slightly longer passport control process, especially on their first trip under EES. Many airports and land crossings will install self-service kiosks or designated counters for EES.
You’ll likely be asked to scan your travel document, place fingers on a fingerprint reader, and look into a camera for a photo. Subsequent trips should be faster, since your biometrics will already be on file for three years before needing re-capture.
Once fully implemented, EES will also do away with manual stamping of passports entirely – entry/exit dates will be recorded electronically, allowing border authorities to automatically calculate your allowed stay and flag overstayers.
Where does EES apply? The new system will operate across 29 European countries – all Schengen member states (which includes most EU countries except Ireland and Cyprus) plus the four non-EU Schengen countries (Norway, Iceland, Switzerland, Liechtenstein).
Travelers crossing an external Schengen border into any of these countries will go through EES. For Cyprus and Ireland, which are outside Schengen, passports will continue to be stamped as usual.
If you’re taking a ferry or Eurotunnel train from the UK (e.g. via Dover or the Eurostar from London), note that French border police conduct exit checks on the UK side – so EES biometrics will be collected before you depart Britain in those cases.
Cruise passengers on round-trip UK cruises generally won’t need EES processing during brief port stops, unless you fly into or out of a European port as part of your itinerary.
Phased rollout: The introduction of EES will be gradual over six months. Not every border checkpoint will switch on the system immediately in October. Instead, European countries will begin rolling it out at different crossings from October 12, 2025 onward, with full coverage expected by April 10, 2026.
During this transition, some smaller ports of entry might still use old procedures until their EES kiosks are live (in fact, border officers may continue stamping passports in parallel until the system is fully operational).
By spring 2026, however, EES should be in force at all external Schengen borders. This phased approach is meant to give border authorities and travelers time to adjust to the new routines.
Why introduce EES? Europe is implementing EES to modernize border management and enhance security. The system will automatically log entries and exits, helping identify travelers who overstay their permitted 90-day limit or who might otherwise slip through the cracks under the old stamp system.
EU officials note that manual stamping was slow and unreliable in providing accurate data on border crossings. In contrast, EES’s real-time database will let authorities instantly check if a non-EU visitor has overstayed or if there are any alerts on their record.
The European Commission also emphasizes that digitizing the process will improve security (by reducing passport fraud and flagging identity issues) while potentially speeding up travel in the long run via automated checks.
In short, EES is about tightening oversight of who is entering/exiting the Schengen area and ensuring the 90-day rule is respected, without significantly hindering legitimate travelers.
Will it cause delays? It’s natural to worry that adding fingerprints and photos could mean longer lines at immigration. Some travel industry groups and border officials have indeed raised concerns about initial queues and bottlenecks, especially at busy crossings, as travelers adapt to the new kiosks. However, the EU is taking steps to mitigate this.
The six-month phase-in should prevent a “big bang” shock at airports. Governments and transport hubs are also ramping up staffing and infrastructure – for example, the Eurostar terminal in London is doubling its border kiosks and staff to prepare for EES.
The European Commission says it will coordinate information campaigns and awareness-raising at airports and border points so passengers know what to do. While a bit of extra wait time is possible in the early days, being informed and prepared (following officers’ instructions at the kiosks, having travel documents ready, etc.) will help you transit smoothly.
ETIAS Coming Late 2026
Following EES, the EU will introduce another system called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). ETIAS is NOT a visa, but rather an electronic travel authorization, similar to the ESTA in the USA or Canada’s eTA, required for visitors from visa-exempt countries.
Originally slated for 2024, the ETIAS launch has been delayed to the end of 2026 to ensure EES is up and running first. In fact, EU officials have indicated ETIAS cannot begin until after EES is operational, with at least a 6-month gap, so the earliest it might become mandatory is 2027.
Bottom line: you do not need an ETIAS clearance to travel in 2025 or most of 2026. Any talk you might have heard about “EU visas” for 2024/25 is premature – the new requirement has been pushed back, and until it officially launches, the current entry rules remain unchanged (no pre-travel authorization needed for short tourist/business visits).
When ETIAS does kick in (expected late 2026), it will apply to visa-free travelers from about 60 countries, including the UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and many more.
Essentially, if you can currently enter Schengen countries without a visa for short stays, you will need to obtain an ETIAS authorization before your trip once the system is live.
If you already require a visa to visit Europe, ETIAS won’t apply – those travelers will continue using the visa process and are exempt from ETIAS. Also, Irish citizens won’t need ETIAS for EU travel, and UK citizens living in an EU country won’t need it to return home or travel within the EU.
The ETIAS rule will cover the same 30 countries that are in the Schengen zone or set to join ETIAS – in fact, its country list is nearly identical to the EES coverage mentioned earlier.
How will ETIAS work? Once launched, travelers will have to apply online for an ETIAS authorization before their trip to Europe. The application will be a web form (or mobile app) where you input personal details and passport information, answer some basic security and health questions, and pay a fee. According to the EU, the process should be quick – in most cases approval is granted within minutes electronically.
The authorization will then be linked to your passport; you won’t receive a physical document, but border guards can verify your ETIAS status in their system. Importantly, the EU has recently announced the ETIAS fee will be €20 for adults 18 to 70 years old.
Travellers under 18 or over 70 won’t have to pay the fee, though they still need to apply for an ETIAS authorization before travel.) Once approved, an ETIAS is valid for three years (or until your passport expires), allowing multiple entries into Schengen during that period.
This means frequent travelers won’t need to apply before every trip – only when your ETIAS or passport expires.
What about timing and enforcement? Even after ETIAS becomes available in late 2026, authorities plan a transitional grace period. In practice, that likely means ETIAS won’t be mandatory for boarding flights to Europe until sometime in 2027.
There may be a few months when the system is open for applications but not yet strictly required for travel, giving people time to obtain it. The EU has promised to announce the official start date well in advance, so travelers will have fair warning. Until that date, if you’re a visa-exempt visitor, you can continue to travel with just your passport (and whatever COVID or other requirements may exist at the time) – no EU travel authorization needed.
Once ETIAS is in effect, however, airlines and other carriers will check for it (similar to how they check US-bound passengers have an ESTA). If you lack a required ETIAS after it becomes obligatory, you could be denied boarding, so it will become a pre-trip to-do for European holidays in the future.
Beware of scams: One piece of advice now is to avoid any unofficial “ETIAS application” websites or services popping up. As of 2025, the official ETIAS application system is not live yet.
Any website claiming to “get you an ETIAS” at this stage is fraudulent. The EU will launch a single official portal (under the europa.eu domain) for ETIAS when the time comes, and that will be the only legitimate place to apply.
When ETIAS begins, expect a rush of copycat or lookalike sites – but remember, the application is intended to be done by individuals themselves at a low fee (just €20).
You shouldn’t need to pay a third-party hundreds of dollars for “visa services” for ETIAS. Keep an eye on EU announcements and only use the official ETIAS website or app once it’s announced.
Why It Matters
For the average traveler, these changes boil down to a few extra steps and a bit of advance planning.
Millions of people from North America, Asia, Oceania and beyond visit Europe each year without visas – all those trips will be affected by EES (immediately in 2025) and ETIAS (a bit later).
If you’re planning a Europe trip in late 2025 or 2026, here’s a quick checklist to stay prepared:
- Expect biometric checks at the border: Starting October 12, 2025, budget a little extra time at passport control when arriving in Europe. You’ll need to go through the EES process – scanning your passport, getting a photo taken, and fingerprinting (for most adults). Follow the signs or staff directions for any EES kiosks. Once registered the first time, subsequent entries should be quicker, but it’s wise to allow for possible queues during the initial rollout.
- No ETIAS needed – yet: You do not need to apply for any EU travel authorization in 2025 or early 2026. ETIAS is only expected to launch in late 2026 and won’t be mandatory until 2027. So for upcoming trips, your passport is sufficient for entry (along with a visa if you normally require one). However, stay informed about ETIAS news as the launch approaches – the EU will announce when it’s time to start applying.
- Once ETIAS begins (late 2026+): Travelers from visa-exempt countries will need to submit a quick online application before their Europe trip. This involves providing personal and trip details, and paying a €20 fee to obtain the ETIAS authorization. Make sure your passport is valid for at least 3 months beyond your stay (a requirement for entry) and ideally has plenty of validity, since the ETIAS will link to it. An approved ETIAS will last three years and cover multiple entries , so you won’t need to reapply each time you visit Europe during that period.
- Double-check country requirements: Remember that Schengen rules still limit visits to 90 days in any 180-day period – EES will track this strictly. If you plan to stay longer (study abroad, work, etc.), you’ll need the appropriate long-term visa; ETIAS won’t replace that. Also note that Ireland and the UK have their own entry policies (the UK is rolling out its own ETA system, and Ireland has none for EU/UK travelers). If your European itinerary includes non-Schengen countries, check if they have separate requirements.
- Travel smart: As these new systems come into play, plan ahead. For EES, arrive at the airport early in case of lines, and familiarize yourself with any self-service kiosk instructions. For ETIAS, once it’s launched, don’t wait until the last minute to apply – although approvals are often instant, it could take up to 30 days in rare cases , so applying at least a few weeks before your trip is prudent. Finally, keep an eye on official EU sources (and trusted travel advisories) for updates on the exact ETIAS start date and any changes to the process.
Europe’s upcoming EES and ETIAS systems may sound daunting, but they are essentially digitizing the current border control and adding a light pre-screening for visa-free visitors.
For travelers, being aware of these changes is half the battle. With a bit of preparation, you’ll navigate Europe’s new border rules with no trouble – just remember to smile for the camera, press your fingers when asked, and soon enough you’ll be on your way to enjoying your European adventure!
