Travelers from the United Arab Emirates heading to Europe are encountering a high-tech change at the border.

The European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES) – which launched on October 12, 2025 – is replacing the traditional passport stamp with a digital log of biometric data for all non-EU visitors.

This means Emirati citizens and other visa-exempt travelers must now have their fingerprints and a facial photograph taken at Schengen Area border checkpoints, with each entry and exit recorded electronically rather than marked by a stamp.

Importantly, this does not change the visa-free status or stay limits for UAE passport holders (who can still visit Schengen countries up to 90 days in any 180-day period); it only changes how those days are tracked – via scans instead of ink.

International arrivals area at a Schengen-zone airport. The EU’s Entry/Exit System covers 29 participating countries in the Schengen zone, all of which will gradually adopt biometric border controls in place of manual passport stamping.

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Biometric Checks Replace Passport Stamps at EU Borders

The rollout of the EES introduces a standardized biometric border check across 29 European countries that make up the Schengen area.

Under this system, a traveler’s passport data is scanned and biometric identifiers (fingerprints and a photo) are captured on their first entry into Europe’s Schengen zone. The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs even issued a travel advisory alerting Emiratis to this new procedure as it came into effect.

Once the biometric information is registered, it is stored digitally for three years in accordance with EU data protection regulations. Travelers will not need to provide fingerprints or a new photo on subsequent trips within that period unless their details change or the record has expired.

In practice, this system aims to make border crossings more efficient while strengthening security and accuracy of entry/exit records across member states.

EU officials have emphasized that modernizing border controls in this way will improve safety: “Strong protection of our external borders is vital… the new Entry/Exit System will help us ensure that non-EU nationals travelling to Europe comply with our rules, making our borders safer and border checks more efficient,” said Kaare Dybvad Bek, the EU’s minister for immigration, when announcing the system.

The move away from passport stamps is being phased in gradually. Although EES became operational in October 2025, not every airport or land crossing in Europe flipped the switch overnight.

Through a transition period (expected to last until April 10, 2026), some travelers may still receive a manual stamp at certain checkpoints while the new system is introduced in stages. By spring 2026, however, EES should be fully deployed at all external Schengen border posts – after which physical stamping will stop and all record-keeping will be handled automatically by the digital system.

The biometric process itself is straightforward: upon arrival, visitors queue at an immigration booth or self-service kiosk where they scan their passport and provide fingerprints and a live photo as prompted. Notably, children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting under the new rules. The system then creates a digital entry file.

On subsequent visits, border officers can quickly verify the traveler’s identity against the stored record, eliminating repeat fingerprinting and making the border check faster. In essence, the first trip might take a few extra minutes for biometric enrollment, but later entries should be smoother since the data is already on file.

Why It Matters for UAE Travelers

For UAE nationals and residents, this change underscores how a policy shift in Europe can ripple across borders and affect travelers worldwide.

Europe remains a very popular destination for UAE travelers – a recent survey found that over a quarter of UAE residents listed Europe (and the UK) among their preferred travel regions – so any new entry requirement has a broad impact.

UAE citizens have enjoyed visa-free short stays in Schengen countries for years, and many make frequent trips to Europe for business, holidays, education and medical visits.

Under the old stamp system, an avid traveler from Dubai or Abu Dhabi might collect numerous Schengen stamps and manually keep track of their days abroad. Now, with EES logging each entry and exit digitally, compliance with the 90-day rule is automatically monitored by the system.

Overstaying – even by a few days – will be immediately apparent to authorities. In fact, the EU’s database will flag travelers who exceed their permitted stay or violate visa conditions, which could lead to fines, future visa difficulties, or even bans on re-entry for those who break the rules.

In other words, frequent Gulf travelers who once might have relied on passport stamps to tally their Schengen travel days will now find that the counting is done for them electronically, with little margin for error.

On the upside, the change also brings benefits for travelers. With automated logs, there’s no more rifling through passport pages to figure out how many Schengen days you’ve used – you can be confident the system is tracking it accurately.

The EU even offers an online short-stay calculator to help travelers check how many days of their 90-day allowance are left. More broadly, shifting to biometrics is expected to speed up border checks and reduce queues in the long run.

European authorities envision a future where non-EU visitors like Emiratis might use e-gates or self-service kiosks for part of the immigration process, similar to how EU citizens do.

In fact, several Schengen airports are planning to further automate their entry procedures: travelers would scan their documents and provide biometrics at a kiosk and then proceed to a border officer for final verification, significantly cutting down processing times.

This modernization is part of a wider trend – much like how airports in the UAE and other countries use ePassport gates and biometric clearance for efficiency, Europe is bringing a comparable approach to incoming visitors.

Crucially, the new system highlights cross-regional cooperation on border security. Gulf-based airlines and travel agents have had to update their advice for passengers because of an EU policy change – a reminder that in today’s connected world, regulations in one region can directly affect travelers from another.

Both of the UAE’s major international airlines, Emirates and Air Arabia, issued advisories ahead of the EES launch, informing customers about the new biometric entry rules coming into effect. Such notices are unusual for a procedure at foreign airports, and they underscore the significance of the change for UAE–Europe travel.

With thousands of Emiratis and UAE expats flying to Europe every month, the awareness and preparedness on the UAE side reflects the importance of smooth implementation. “If you’re heading to Europe for a quick holiday or business trip, there may be doubts on the new border system and its impact on how long you stay,” one Gulf news outlet noted, emphasizing that while the rules for short stays haven’t changed, how those days are counted has changed to an electronic system.

For the traveling public in the Gulf, the EES’s debut is a real-world example of how international travel is becoming more digital and security-focused, even for trips as routine as a weekend in Paris or a business meeting in Frankfurt.

Tips and What to Expect

UAE authorities and airlines are urging travelers to be prepared as the new system rolls out.

Both Emirates and Air Arabia have recommended that passengers allow extra time at European border control, particularly on their first trip under EES, since the initial registration (fingerprinting and photographing) will take a bit longer.

It’s wise to budget a few additional minutes for immigration clearance, as frontline officers and travelers alike get used to the new kiosks and procedures during this introductory phase.

The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs likewise advised Emiratis to arrive early and be patient during the biometric enrollment, and noted that holders of diplomatic passports are exempt from the new requirements.

The good news is that no advance online registration is required before your trip – you simply show up and go through the process at the border as directed. In some locations, there may be self-service EES kiosks or counter stations specifically for biometric capture.

For example, Frontex, the EU border agency, has developed an official EES mobile app that a few countries like Sweden plan to use, allowing travelers to pre-register their details and save time at the airport. This is optional and still being piloted in select airports.

During the transition period, travelers should also be aware that passport stamping might not disappear immediately. Some Schengen entry points will continue stamping passports alongside the new digital system until all border posts come fully online with EES. So you might end up with both a stamp and an electronic record for a short while.

By 2026, once EES is universally implemented, physical stamps will be phased out entirely and the electronic record will be definitive for your travel history.

For the actual process, expect a procedure similar to other international biometric border controls you may have experienced. At airport arrivals, you’ll either approach an automated kiosk or a manned immigration desk.

You will be asked to scan your passport, place your fingers on a fingerprint scanner, and look into a camera for a live photo. The machine or officer will then confirm your details and let you proceed if everything checks out.

The biometric data (facial image and fingerprints), along with your name, travel document details, and the entry/exit date and location, are all stored securely in the EES database.

According to EU officials, this personal data is handled under strict privacy protections: it is stored in compliance with EU data protection rules (notably the GDPR) and is accessible only to authorized personnel such as border and visa officers, immigration authorities, and law enforcement like Europol.

Airlines and cross-channel train/ferry operators will also be notified by the system if a traveler has overstayed, as they are required to check visa compliance, but the data is not freely shared elsewhere.

Travelers can thus be reassured that while their fingerprints and photos are being taken for border security, the information isn’t going to be misused or made public.

Looking ahead, Europe’s push for smarter borders doesn’t stop at EES. In 2024–2025 the EU finalized preparations for ETIAS, a new electronic travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors (often dubbed a “euro visa-waiver”).

That system – now expected to start in 2026 – will require travelers from countries like the UAE (as well as the UK, US, Canada, etc.) to apply online for approval before their trip. While ETIAS is a separate program, it complements the EES by adding another layer of pre-travel screening.

For UAE travelers, this means that within the next year or so, visiting Europe will entail both an upfront travel authorization (once ETIAS is in place) and the biometric registration upon arrival.

It’s a new era of travel that places a premium on security and data – one where your face and fingerprints become as important as your passport.

In summary, anyone from the UAE planning a Europe trip should be aware of these new procedures at the border.

The first encounter with EES might require a little patience, but officials stress that after that, crossing into Schengen should be faster and more convenient thanks to the automated checks.

Whether you’re a UAE student heading to Europe for university, a family going on holiday to Switzerland, or a businessperson with meetings in Paris and Milan, it’s wise to factor in a few extra minutes for the biometric process the next time you land in an EU country.

The shift from stamps to scans marks a significant change in the travel experience – one that illustrates the increasingly digital reality of global mobility.

This biometric border system is now part and parcel of traveling to Europe, signaling the end of an era of passport stamps and the beginning of a smarter, more secure journey each time you enter or exit the Schengen zone.

FAQ

What is the EU Entry/Exit System (EES)?

It’s a new digital border system that records biometric data—fingerprints and photos—of all non-EU visitors entering or leaving the Schengen zone.

When did the EES start?

The EES became operational on October 12, 2025, with a phased rollout expected to finish by April 2026.

Does the new system affect UAE travelers’ visa-free access?

No. UAE passport holders can still visit Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Only the tracking method changes.

Do travelers need to register before flying?

No advance registration is required. The biometric process takes place at the border on arrival.

What happens to my data?

Biometric information is securely stored for three years and protected under EU data privacy laws.

Will the system speed up travel in the long run?

Yes. Once enrolled, subsequent entries will be faster, with automated identity checks and reduced manual stamping.