Starting this October, visitors travelling to Europe will face new digital checks
Beginning October 12 2025, travellers from outside the European Union will face new checks when entering or leaving European countries — all 29 of them. The Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace the traditional manual passport stamping process.
Non-EU nationals, including international visitors, comprising both visa holders and visa-exempt travellers, will be required to register their fingerprints and facial images when crossing external EU borders.
Along with biometric data, the system will record names, travel document details, and dates and places of entry or exit. Refusals of entry will also be stored digitally.
Why the new system
The EES aims to improve security, detect overstays, and curb identity fraud. Authorities say it will also make travel easier for genuine visitors by speeding up border checks through automated gates and self-service kiosks. With the system, immigration officers will have more reliable data than manual stamps allow.
How the new system will work
The new checks will start gradually in October, with full implementation across all border points expected by April 2026. First-time entrants after the launch will need to provide their data, while returning travellers will only undergo verification since their information will already be stored in the system.
The system is being developed and managed by eu-LISA, the European agency responsible for large-scale IT systems in security and justice. It forms part of the EU’s Security Union measures, designed to strengthen border management and help prevent cross-border crime and terrorism.
What travellers should expect
Those using the new system may experience longer processing times initially, but border authorities expect self-service kiosks and mobile applications to ease the process. Travellers with biometric passports will be able to use faster automated gates at many checkpoints.
The plan for EES was first presented in 2016 under the EU’s Smart Borders Package and was approved by the European Parliament and Council in 2017. Officials describe the rollout as a key step in making Europe’s borders more secure while ensuring smoother travel.
Non-EU nationals, including international visitors, comprising both visa holders and visa-exempt travellers, will be required to register their fingerprints and facial images when crossing external EU borders.
Along with biometric data, the system will record names, travel document details, and dates and places of entry or exit. Refusals of entry will also be stored digitally.
Why the new system
The EES aims to improve security, detect overstays, and curb identity fraud. Authorities say it will also make travel easier for genuine visitors by speeding up border checks through automated gates and self-service kiosks. With the system, immigration officers will have more reliable data than manual stamps allow.
How the new system will work
The new checks will start gradually in October, with full implementation across all border points expected by April 2026. First-time entrants after the launch will need to provide their data, while returning travellers will only undergo verification since their information will already be stored in the system.
The system is being developed and managed by eu-LISA, the European agency responsible for large-scale IT systems in security and justice. It forms part of the EU’s Security Union measures, designed to strengthen border management and help prevent cross-border crime and terrorism.
What travellers should expect
Those using the new system may experience longer processing times initially, but border authorities expect self-service kiosks and mobile applications to ease the process. Travellers with biometric passports will be able to use faster automated gates at many checkpoints.
The plan for EES was first presented in 2016 under the EU’s Smart Borders Package and was approved by the European Parliament and Council in 2017. Officials describe the rollout as a key step in making Europe’s borders more secure while ensuring smoother travel.
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