Get ready for the EES System – 12th October 2025

The new Entry and Exit System also known as EES, will come into effect across the EU (European countries), from the 12th of October 2025.

What is the Entry and Exit System (EES)?
EES is the European Union’s new automated system for travellers. It will operate across the list of countries below, to register non-EU nationals (non-EU countries) who are short-term-travelling across European country borders (short-term-travellers means anyone travelling up to 90days within a 180day period).
 
The full list of countries are:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.
 
What do I need to do as a traveller?
You will need to register for EES if you are a non-EU national who either:

• needs a short-stay visa to travel to the European countries using the EES 

or

• do not need a visa to travel for a short stay in the European countries using the EES

Your entries and exits, or entry refusals will be electronically registered in the EES.

There are exemptions which you can find here: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/ltr/to-whom-does-ees-not-apply##

Why has the EES been created and are there any benefits?
The EES will eventually replace stamps in people’s passports. As a new digital system, EES will record when tourists and travellers enter and exit a country, and it’s hoped that border checks will become easier and faster. It’s also hoped that EES will mean less time for travellers at the border, with self-service options and the ability to provide relevant information in advance.
 
The new EES system has been created to help track who travels through the Schengen borders, and fingerprint and face capturing software will be used to help data capture, in order to weed out fake identities and to prevent travellers from overstaying or misusing visa-free travel. Border officers and law enforcement will also be able to access travel information for security reasons and to help to prevent terrorism.
 
Will my EES data be collected and held?
Yes, you must provide specific personal data for EES if you are passing through the External borders of European countries. This data will include:

• The information that is on your travel documents such as your name, date of birth etc.
• The location, date and time of your border entrance and exit.
• Biometric data such as your fingerprint and facial scan (this will be held in the Biometric Matching Service system)
• Notes on anything else of relevance such as refusal of entry to a country or overstay in a country.

If you refuse to provide any of the required information, or biometric scans, you will be denied entry into the EES countries listed.

Data will be held for the following periods of time and cannot be transferred to third parties:
Records of entry, exits and refusal of entry: 3yrs starting on the date created.

Individual files containing personal data: 3yrs & 1 day starting the date of your last exit, or your refusal of entry (if you weren’t permitted to enter).
 
If no exit has been recorded: 5yrs starting on the expiry date of your authorised stay.
 
Records of entries and exits for non-EU national who are family members of EU/non-EU citizens / don’t hold a residence document / are accompanying an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: 1yr starting on the date of creation of the exit record.
 
If no exit has been recorded and you, are a family member of EU/non-EU citizens / don’t hold a residence document / are accompanying an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen: Your data won’t be kept, and there’s no calculation if the length of your authorised stay.
 
The EES system will begin rolling out on the 12th of October 2025 and will be fully implemented across all listed countries by the 10th of April 2026. In the interim, the old style of border control and checking passports will still be operational. 
 
To get further information on EES and how it might affect you, please go to the FAQs on the European Union website: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/faq##
 
Further updates will be added to this post as we get them.

 Source: European Union website