Many European countries have begun using biometric border checks, which are part of the new Entry/Exit System (EES).
How might this impact your travel in Europe? The new EU Entry/Exit System is being used for countries to track travelers crossing from one nation to another. Europe is a much different continent from North America, with entire countries bordering each other, unlike the broad expanse of the United States and Canada. This could mean longer wait times than in the past and more steps to get through the process, which means you should know what to expect.
EES registration is required for Schengen Area travel
The new EES system is an automated IT system that requires non-EU nationals to register and report traveling for short stays. Every time you cross a border through countries that are part of the Schengen Area, you must use the EES system. A short stay is defined as up to 90 days within a 180-day period. The EU started rolling out biometric border checks in October 2025. Here’s what actually happens when you arrive, according to the EES homepage, why lines might be longer than usual, and how families can avoid headaches during busy travel times.
Biometric border checks at every crossing
Traveling across European countries is becoming more controlled than ever before. You might experience travel delays in Europe as the EES system begins collecting and storing data regarding your travel. The EES system collects:
- Data listed on your travel documents
- Data and place of each entry and exit
- Facial image and fingerprints
- Whether you were refused entry
To make things a little easier, fingerprint scanning in the Schengen Area of Europe should only occur once. If this information is in the Visa Information System, it will not be required again.
Why is this data being collected?
Improvements to European border control are necessary and allow countries and authorities to understand more about the travel habits of people visiting and moving through many European countries. The data collected is to:
- Reinforce the efficiency of external border management
- Prevent irregular immigration
- Facilitate the management of migration flows
- Identify travelers who have no right to enter or who have exceeded their permitted stay
- identify travelers who are using fake identities or passports
- Help prevent, detect, and investigate terrorist offenses and other serious crimes
In a nutshell, the new EES system is meant to help improve security and safety for all travelers.
Can travelers streamline the process?
The first time you arrive at a border crossing point and use the EES, things can take a little while. During this first crossing, passport control officers will take a photo of your face and scan your fingerprints. You can make this process faster if you register some of this data in advance using dedicated equipment at a border crossing point or a mobile application.
If you’ve previously crossed a border using the EES, the passport control officers will only verify your fingerprints and photo, which should take less time. If you hold a biometric passport, you’ll be able to enter more quickly, using a self-service system at checkpoints where these systems are available.
How long can you stay in each country?
The biometric border checks help passport control officers guide travelers regarding their time in each country. You can use the “short-stay calculator” to help determine the length of your stay, but this is not an official record. If you’re unsure how long you can stay in a country, ask the passport control officers during your border crossing.
Can frequent border crossings be made easier?
Many people will not be required to go through the process of biometric border checks in the EU area using EES. The largest groups are those who are EU citizens and members of EU families. These people enjoy free movement under EU law.
Some people might receive access to the national facilitation programmes, which allow them to facilitate border crossing much more quickly than most travelers. Those who are granted access to this program could cross without passport control officers verifying:
- point of departure and destination
- purpose, intended stay, and supporting documents
- possession of sufficient means of subsistence during the stay
Access to these programs is a privilege and not a right and is not granted by every country participating in the EES program.
Travel through many European countries now requires biometric border checks and additional information. This can mean slight delays at border crossings, but the EU is working to make this process as smooth as possible.
