Q: When does EU EES start?
A: The EU EES starts October 12, 2025 with a six-month phased rollout, reaching full use by April 10, 2026. Consilium+1
Key dates at a glance
- Launch date (operational start): October 12, 2025 — EES begins across external borders in a progressive rollout over six months. Passport stamping continues during the transition. Consilium
- Full use (no more manual stamping): April 10, 2026 — all participating countries expected to operate EES fully. Consilium
- What’s next: ETIAS (the separate travel authorization) is expected in Q4 2026. Travel Europe+1
What is the EES, and why is it changing borders?
The Entry/Exit System (EES) is the EU’s new, centralized IT system that digitally records the entry, exit (and refusals of entry) of most non-EU travelers visiting for a short stay (the usual 90-days-in-any-180-day rule). Instead of stamping passports, border officers (or automated gates/kiosks) will capture a facial image, four fingerprints, and passport details at your first entry after EES goes live. Future trips should be quicker because your biometrics are already on file. Migration and Home Affairs
What EES replaces: manual passport stamps (and guesswork over your remaining days).
What EES adds: accurate tracking against 90/180 limits, stronger identity checks, and easier detection of overstays and document fraud. Migration and Home Affairs
Who must enroll—and who is exempt?
You must enroll if you are a non-EU national traveling for a short stay to any of the 29 European countries using EES (this includes the Schengen Area plus associated states). Enrollment happens at the border on your first post-launch trip. Migration and Home Affairs
You are generally not subject to EES if you are:
- A national of the countries using EES (EU/Schengen/associates), as well as Cyprus and Ireland;
- A non-EU national holding an EU residence permit or a long-stay (D) visa;
- Certain special categories (e.g., holders of privileges/immunities). Travel Europe
Children: Under 12s are not fingerprinted (but a facial photo will still be captured and a digital record created). Travel Europe
Important: EES does not apply to Ireland and Cyprus. Travel between the UK and Ireland remains outside EES. Travel Europe
Where EES applies (and where it doesn’t)
EES runs at external borders of the 29 participating countries (airports, seaports, and land crossings). During the six-month progressive start, countries can begin at selected border crossings and with limited functionalities before expanding to full coverage—manual stamp use continues in the interim. Consilium
By April 10, 2026, all participating countries are expected to register entries/exits fully in EES, ending routine manual stamping for short-stay visitors. Consilium
UK–EU crossings: Eurostar, Eurotunnel (LeShuttle) & Port of Dover
If you’re traveling from the UK into the EU, watch these juxtaposed controls where French border checks happen on UK soil:
- Port of Dover (ferries to Calais/Dunkirk)
- Eurotunnel Folkestone (LeShuttle for vehicles)
- London St Pancras (Eurostar)
Authorities are staging a phased approach. Early weeks emphasize certain traffic (e.g., freight/coaches first), with cars and Eurostar passengers ramping up later—this helps smooth initial registration. Plan extra time during the first months of EES. Reuters+1
What actually happens at the border (step-by-step)
- Document check – You present your passport (ensure it meets validity rules) and, where applicable, visas or supporting documents (return ticket, proof of funds/accommodation as requested).
- Self-service kiosk or officer desk – At your first post-launch entry, your facial image and four fingerprints are taken; your passport data is recorded. This creates your EES identity file. Future trips normally reuse these biometrics for faster processing. The Times
- Verification on later trips – Next visits typically involve verification (matching you to your stored record) rather than full new enrollment.
- Exit recording – When you leave, your exit is recorded in EES. This tightens the 90/180-day calculation.
Tip: Expect staffed assistance at major airports, Eurostar, LeShuttle, and ferry ports while kiosks roll out. If you decline biometrics, you can be refused entry. The Times
Will there be queues?
Short answer: some, especially in the first weeks/months when first-time registrations peak and infrastructure scales up. The EU deliberately chose a progressive six-month rollout so member states can ramp up capacity without gridlock; manual stamping continues where needed during the transition. Build buffer time for departures via Dover, Folkestone (Eurotunnel), and St Pancras (Eurostar). Consilium+1
Privacy, security & how long your data is kept
What’s stored: identity/travel document details, facial image + fingerprints, and timestamps/places of entry/exit (plus any refusal of entry). Migration and Home Affairs
How long:
- Entries/exits/refusals: 3 years from creation;
- Personal file: 3 years + 1 day from your last exit (or refusal), refreshed with each crossing;
- If no exit is recorded: up to 5 years after the last day of your permitted stay. Travel Europe+1
Data is managed under EU law by eu-LISA with strict access controls for authorized authorities and law-enforcement purposes. eu-LISA
The six-month transition: what it means for you
Between Oct 12, 2025 and Apr 10, 2026:
- Countries can start at selected border points;
- Manual stamping can continue where EES isn’t fully active yet;
- Progressive data collection means you might be stamped in one place and enrolled elsewhere during this period. France’s official guidance confirms this progressive approach and notes that EES data won’t automatically flag you as an overstayer during the roll-in. Consilium+1
Practical takeaway: Don’t panic if you receive a stamp during the early months—it’s normal while systems go live country-by-country, port-by-port. Keep tickets and proof of travel handy.
Special cases & edge scenarios
1) Frequent border crossers & long stays
If you hold a residence permit or long-stay visa (D), you’re exempt from EES short-stay processing. Carry proof of status. Travel Europe
2) Families with children
Under-12s do not give fingerprints. They’ll still have a document check and facial photograph. Allow extra time to help kids through kiosks. Travel Europe
3) UK residents with EU status
If you’re a UK national covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and hold EU residence documents, you’re not treated as a short-stay visitor for EES. GOV.UK
4) Cruise passengers
Whether you complete EES at a port can depend on where you embark/disembark and whether the port is an external Schengen border. Some trade guidance suggests no EES for closed-loop UK↔UK cruises and no EES checks for day trips embedded in itineraries, but always verify with your line and port agent as local implementation varies during rollout. ABTA
ETIAS comes next (but not yet)
EES is not ETIAS. After EES is fully in use, the EU plans to introduce ETIAS—an online pre-travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors—in the last quarter of 2026. Expect an application process, fee, and multi-year validity. For now, no ETIAS action is required. Travel Europe+1
How to prepare (checklist)
- Arrive earlier than usual—especially at Dover, Eurotunnel, and St Pancras during the first months. Reuters
- Keep hands clean/dry for smooth fingerprint capture; remove gloves, large rings, bandages if possible.
- Carry supporting docs (return ticket, accommodation, funds) as officers may ask during initial roll-in.
- Know your 90/180: track your days to avoid overstays; use our Schengen 90/180 calculator.
- Families: brief kids; under-12s will not be fingerprinted but will be photographed. Travel Europe
- UK travelers: consult operator updates for Eurostar, LeShuttle, and ferries before departure; expect process guidance and added kiosks. Reuters+1
Where queues may form first
- UK juxtaposed controls (Dover/Folkestone/St Pancras): first-time enrollments + space constraints can slow lanes during peaks. Operators are phasing traffic types to mitigate. Reuters
- Busy hub airports rolling out more kiosks (e.g., major German/Benelux/Italian hubs): first-trip enrollments can cluster around holiday peaks. (General early-rollout guidance.) The Times
Countries & scope: the “29” and exclusions
The EU confirms EES is for 29 European countries using the system (Schengen + associated states and recent Schengen entrants). Ireland and Cyprus are not part of EES; their borders remain outside the scheme. If you’re a national of these countries, or you’re resident in an EU state/hold a long-stay visa, you’re not processed under EES short-stay rules. Migration and Home Affairs+1
What happens to your data?
- Biometrics: facial image + fingerprints at first enrollment; reused for later trips.
- Retention: Most records keep for 3 years; up to 5 years if an exit record is missing.
- Controller: The system is operated by eu-LISA, under EU data-protection law and oversight. Travel Europe+2Royal Netherlands Marechaussee+2
If you believe your data is inaccurate, EU rules provide routes to access/correction via national authorities.