EES · ETIAS — Last checked 5 November 2026

EES: the Entry/Exit System, fully explained

Since 10 April 2026, every non-EU visitor on a short stay is registered digitally at the external borders of 29 European countries. Here is exactly what happens, who it applies to and how to get through quickly.

29countries use EES
Freeno fee, no application
12+age for fingerprints
3 yrshow long your record is kept

What EES is

EES (Entry/Exit System) is an automated IT system that records when non-EU travellers enter and leave the Schengen area for a short stay. Each crossing is stored digitally instead of being stamped in your passport.

The system automatically calculates how many days you have left under the 90/180-day rule and flags people who stay too long. It also helps border guards confirm that you are who your passport says you are.

Who EES applies to

EES applies to you if

  • You are not an EU, EEA or Swiss citizen
  • You travel for a short stay (up to 90 days in any 180)
  • You travel visa-free (for example from the US, UK, Japan or Korea)
  • You travel with a short-stay Schengen visa

EES does not apply to

  • EU, EEA and Swiss citizens
  • Holders of an EU residence permit or long-stay (D) visa
  • Non-EU family members of EU citizens with a residence card under EU free-movement rules
  • Nationals of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, and holders of a Vatican passport

Where EES is used

EES runs at the external borders of these 29 countries: the 25 Schengen EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Cyprus and Ireland do not use EES. Travel between these 29 countries has no EES check.

What is recorded

IdentityName, nationality, date of birth and passport details
FaceA facial image taken at the kiosk or desk
FingerprintsFour fingerprints, from age 12 (children under 12 are exempt)
CrossingsDate and place of each entry and exit
RefusalsAny refusal of entry, with the reason

Your record is kept for three years after your last exit. If no exit is recorded, it is kept for five years. Depending on your situation, some of your data may already be held in the EU visa system.

Step by step at the border

  1. 1PrepareHave your passport ready. Some countries offer an official app to enter passport data in advance. No online registration or payment is needed.
  2. 2Kiosk or deskAt many airports you start at a self-service kiosk: scan your passport and follow the screen. Elsewhere a border officer does this at the desk.
  3. 3Face and fingerprintsLook into the camera, then place four fingers on the scanner. Remove glasses and hats; clean, dry fingers scan faster.
  4. 4Short checkAn officer may ask about the purpose and length of your stay, where you sleep and your return ticket. Then you can enter.

Your next trips

Your first registration is the slow one. On later trips within three years, the system already knows you: you mostly confirm your identity with your face or fingerprints. When you leave, your exit is recorded the same way.

What if you do not register?

Giving your biometric data is a condition of entry. If you refuse, you can be refused entry. People who physically cannot give fingerprints are exempt from that part.

Your data and your rights

Your EES data may only be used for border management, migration and, under strict conditions, the prevention of serious crime. You have the right to ask which data is stored about you, and to have wrong data corrected or unlawfully stored data deleted. You do this through the authorities of the country that recorded it.

Common problems and how to avoid them

Long queuesPlan 30 to 60 minutes extra on your first entry, more in summer and on holidays.
Missed connectionsIf you land in Schengen and fly on, choose a longer layover on your first trip.
Kiosk does not read your passportGo to a staffed desk; the officer can register you manually.
Family travelStay together at the kiosk; children under 12 are photographed but not fingerprinted.

EES and ETIAS side by side

EESETIAS
What it isDigital border register of entries and exitsOnline travel authorisation before you travel
StatusLive since 10 April 2026Not live, expected 2027
WhoAll non-EU short-stay visitorsOnly visa-exempt nationals
Where you do itAt the border, on arrivalOnline, before departure
CostFree€20 planned (under 18 and over 70 free)
ValidRecord kept 3 years3 years or until your passport expires

Timeline EES

  1. 10 April 2026
    EES Done

    EES fully operational, passport stamps end

    All 29 EES countries now register every short-stay entry and exit. Some large airports reported long queues in the first weeks.

  2. 12 October 2025
    EES Done

    EES starts in phases

    Border posts begin registering non-EU travellers digitally, step by step over six months.

FAQ

Do I need to register for EES before I travel?

No. Registration happens at the border on your first entry. It is free and there is no application.

Does EES cost anything?

No. EES is free. Any site that asks you to pay for EES is not official.

Is EES the same as ETIAS?

No. EES records your crossings at the border. ETIAS will be an online authorisation for visa-exempt travellers before departure, expected in 2027.

Are passports still stamped?

No. Since 10 April 2026, EES has replaced passport stamping for short-stay visitors.

Does EES apply to UK citizens?

Yes. UK citizens are non-EU visitors. At Dover, Folkestone and Eurostar St Pancras the registration happens before you leave the UK.

How long is my EES data kept?

Three years after your last exit, or five years if no exit was recorded.

Sources

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