The European Commission announced a six-month delay to the Entry/Exit System on June 4 2026 pushing the start date to March 1 2027. The system will record entry and exit dates for visa-exempt travelers using biometric data. Over 1.2 million daily crossings at Schengen external borders will be affected.
Airports in Paris Frankfurt and Amsterdam requested extra installation time for the new kiosks. Current manual stamping processes will continue until the revised launch. The postponement follows testing failures reported in April at three major hubs.
The EES was originally mandated under the 2017 Schengen Borders Code revision. It aims to replace manual passport stamps with automated records to detect overstays more effectively.
Member states have spent 480 million euros on infrastructure so far. Full interoperability with the upcoming ETIAS authorization system remains scheduled for 2028.
What this means for you
Continue using existing passport stamps for Schengen entries until March 2027. Allow extra time at immigration when the system launches as initial queues may lengthen. Keep digital copies of all entry records during the transition.
Check airline apps for updated arrival procedures closer to the date. Avoid last-minute bookings to high-traffic airports during the first month of operation.
Future expansions may include self-service gates at major hubs reducing wait times after the initial rollout phase.