Europe · Border guide
EU Entry/Exit System (EES): what happens at the border
In brief
The Entry/Exit System (EES) registers non-EU visitors every time they cross the external border of 29 European countries: the Schengen states, but not Cyprus or Ireland.1 It has run in full since 10 April 2026 and replaced passport stamps.2 On your first crossing an officer takes your photo and, if you don't need a visa, four fingerprints.4 The 90-days-in-180 rule has not changed, but it is now counted automatically.4
Checked 5 Nov 2026Source: European Commission, travel-europe.europa.euReport a change
Independent reference, not a government website. We don't issue visas or sell visa services.
ContentsIn brief
Quick answer: the EES for travellers
- Who: non-EU nationals on a short stay, whether they need a Schengen visa or not. US, UK, Canadian, Indian and Emirati visitors all go through it.1
- Not: citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland; holders of residence permits and long-stay visas; and a few others (see below).3
- Where: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland.1
- Since when: a gradual start from 12 October 2025; fully running at every external border crossing since 10 April 2026.24
- Before you go: pre-registering is optional. Where a country supports it, the Travel to Europe app lets you enter some data up to 72 hours before you cross.7
Who the EES applies to
| Applies to | Non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, with a short-stay visa or visa-exempt1“Non-EU national” excludes citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland |
|---|---|
| Does not apply to | Holders of residence permits and long-stay visas3Non-EU family members of an EU national who hold a residence cardNationals of Andorra, Monaco and San Marino, and holders of Vatican City or Holy See passports |
| Cyprus and Ireland | Do not use the EES: passports are still stamped by hand1 |
The system applies to you if you are a non-EU national who either: - needs a short-stay visa to travel to the European countries using the EES or - does not need a visa to travel for a short stay in the European countries using the EES
European Commission, “What is the EES” · checked
What happens at the border
First crossing since the EES started
Officers take a photo of your face and/or scan your fingerprints, record your passport data, and do not stamp your passport.5
Later crossings
Your photo and fingerprints are already on file, so officers only check them, which takes less time. Every entry and exit is recorded.52
Self-service and the app (optional)
Where a border has self-service equipment, or a country offers the Travel to Europe app, you can enter some data in advance; you still meet an officer.5 The app works only with a biometric passport, within 72 hours of crossing, and today only for Sweden (passport data, photo, questionnaire) and Portugal (questionnaire).7
Fingerprints and photo: who gives what
| Traveller | What is taken |
|---|---|
| Visa-exempt (for example US, UK or Canadian citizens) | 4 fingerprints and a facial image4 |
| Short-stay visa holders | A facial image only (fingerprints were taken for the visa)4 |
| Children under 12 | Registered, but no fingerprints4 |
If you refuse to give your biometric data, you are refused entry.6 Non-biometric passports are still accepted at the border, but not at self-service machines.4
The 90/180 rule, now counted automatically
A short stay is up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted as one period across all 29 countries.1 The EES changes nothing in that rule; since 10 April 2026 it counts your days automatically and flags overstays.4
- Check your days: the EU's online tool shows how many days you have left. It does not count time in the Schengen area on visits that began before 10 April 2026.8
- Overstays: the system records them and adds you to a list that border, immigration and visa staff can see. Each country decides the consequences, which can include removal, fines, detention or a future entry ban.46
- Data kept: records of entries, exits and refusals for 3 years; 5 years from the end of the authorised stay if no exit is recorded.6
ETIAS: coming, but not running yet
ETIAS is not in operation and no applications are collected. The EU says it will announce the start date several months before launch. We will add the date here only when the EU announces it.9
Once it starts, ETIAS will be a travel authorisation for visa-exempt visitors. Nationals of 59 visa-exempt countries and territories will need it, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Brazil and the UAE.11 It will cover 30 countries: the 29 EES countries plus Cyprus.10
| Fee | EUR 20 (set instead of the earlier EUR 7)1213Free under 18 and over 70, and for qualifying family members of EU nationals |
|---|---|
| Valid for | 3 years, or until the passport you used expires, whichever comes first10Stays of up to 90 days in any 180; days in Cyprus count separately |
| Decision | Most within minutes; otherwise within 4 days10Up to 14 more days if you are asked for information, up to 30 if you are invited to an interview |
| Not needed by | Travellers who need a Schengen visa, holders of a Schengen or national long-stay visa, and holders of a residence permit of an ETIAS country other than Cyprus11UK nationals with a Withdrawal Agreement residence document are exempt |
| Where to apply | Only the official ETIAS website or app, once it opens14Other sites are intermediaries: anything above EUR 20 goes to them |
ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point. The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.
European Commission, ETIAS · checked
The full guide: ETIAS: the official website, the fee and who will need it.
Official website
travel-europe.europa.eu: official information
Entry/Exit System (EES) System for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay in 29 European countries Official EES website
European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checkedhome-affairs.ec.europa.eu: official information
The EES is an automated IT system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of 29 European countries using the system.
European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs · checked
Official warnings about other sites
Only what governments, regulators and courts have published, quoted word for word. We don't label any website ourselves.
In February 2025, before either system had started, the Embassy of France in Pakistan said the EES and ETIAS were not yet set up, that websites offering the procedure online were scams, and that no website could issue any document.
EES and ETIAS: beware of fraudulent websites! ... The EES/ETIAS mechanisms have not yet been set up. Sites offering this procedure online are scams. ... As these systems are not yet up and running, no website can issue you any document. You are therefore at risk of having your personal information or money stolen.
Published Embassy of France in Pakistan · checked · read from an archived copy of 15 Feb 2025The EU said no action would be required from travellers before their trip, as EES registration is done at the external border.
No action will be required from travellers before they start their trip, as registration will be done at the external border of any of the 29 European countries using the system.
Published European Union, official ETIAS website · checked
FAQ
Can you pre-register for the EES?
Only where a country offers it: the optional Travel to Europe app works for Sweden and Portugal, within 72 hours of crossing and with a biometric passport. Some borders have self-service machines. In every case you still meet a passport officer.
Do I have to do the EES every time?
Every entry and exit is recorded. After your first registration, officers only check your photo and fingerprints, which is quicker.
Does the EES apply to US and UK citizens?
Yes, on a short stay: both are non-EU nationals who need no visa, so they give 4 fingerprints and a photo on their first crossing. UK nationals with a residence permit of an EES country are not covered.
When does ETIAS start?
There is no official date. The EU says it will announce it several months before ETIAS opens; until then no applications are taken, and any site asking for one is not the official system.
Sources
Official sources only. Each was checked on the date shown.
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs: EES and official website
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): EES
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): ETIAS
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): ETIAS
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): ETIAS
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): ETIAS
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs: ETIAS
- European Commission (official EES/ETIAS website, travel-europe.europa.eu): ETIAS
- Embassy of France in Pakistan: warnings about other sites
- European Union, official ETIAS website (travel-europe.europa.eu): warnings about other sites
More: Schengen area entry rules by nationality · Schengen visa fee · Germany transit visa · all visa guides.
About this page
By the Visa Almanac editorial team. Every rule, fee and date on this page comes from the official sources listed above, each read on the day shown; where they are silent, we say so. Editorial policy · Change log
- Updated
- 5 Nov 2026
- Last checked
- Official sources
- 16