The European Union will activate the Entry/Exit System on September 1, 2026. The automated platform records entry and exit dates plus fingerprints and facial images for all third-country nationals. Travelers will receive a digital stamp instead of a passport ink mark.
The system covers the full Schengen Area plus Bulgaria, Romania and Cyprus. Short-stay visitors receive 90 days in any 180-day period calculated automatically. Overstays trigger automatic alerts to future border officers.
Airports including Frankfurt, Paris CDG and Amsterdam have installed 4,200 new kiosks. Processing time is expected to average 40 seconds per passenger after initial registration. Frequent travelers can use mobile apps to pre-enroll data.
UK, US and Canadian citizens will be among the first affected groups. The system aims to reduce irregular migration and improve security data sharing. National databases will sync in real time with the central EU platform.
Land borders in Eastern Europe will see phased rollout through December. Travelers without biometric passports must complete registration at staffed desks. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting but still require facial scans.
Airlines will check EES status during check-in to prevent boarding refusals. The European Commission projects the system will handle 1.2 billion crossings annually by 2028. Officials say the change modernizes 30-year-old manual procedures.