What every non-EU traveler and employer should be ready for
Starting 12 October 2025, the Schengen Area will begin rolling out the Entry/Exit System (EES), a new digital border control mechanism to replace passport stamping for non-EU short-stay visitors. The system will be progressively deployed at all external Schengen border points—airports, ports, and land crossings—and is expected to be fully operational by 10 April 2026.
What is the EES and who does it affect?
The EES is designed to electronically record data on non-EU nationals passing through Schengen borders for stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Under the system, the following will be recorded:
- Personal details from travel documents (name, passport number, etc.)
- Entry and exit times and locations
- Biometric data: facial image and fingerprints
- Cases of refusal of entry (with time, place, reason)
Importantly, non-EU nationals holding long-stay visas or residence permits are exempt from registration under EES. Also, citizens of EU and Schengen countries are not subject to EES.
Data will be kept for three years from the last border crossing, or five years in cases where the stay exceeded the allowed duration (i.e. overstays).
What will change at the borders?
Two scenarios are possible when EES applies:
- First registration: If a traveler has never been recorded in the EES, at entry they must provide biometric data along with identity and travel document information. A digital record is created.
- Subsequent crossings: If already registered, border agents will retrieve that traveler’s record, verify identity via biometrics, and update entry/exit data. This makes subsequent border crossings faster.
From 10 April 2026, manual passport stamping will be discontinued entirely in favor of EES across all external Schengen borders.
What does this mean for employers and mobile employees?
- Overstays will be automatically detected, increasing the importance of meticulous travel record-keeping.
- Entry procedures at borders may take a bit longer early on due to biometric registration.
- Employees who travel frequently to or within Schengen need to plan carefully to avoid any inadvertent violations.
- HR and legal teams should update internal policies and traveler guidelines to reflect EES requirements.
Our 🔗services can provide detailed guidance and help ensure compliance with the new system.
📩 Want to understand how EES will affect your teams and travel across the EU?
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