The E.U. has announced yet another launch date for the long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES) that will now act as the region’s digital border system monitoring non-EU Nationals. The new launch date is Oct. 12, 2025.
According to Euronews, the EES is a registration system for U.K., U.S., and other non-EU travelers. It will require these travelers to scan their passports and/or other travel documentation at self-service kiosks each time they cross EU borders. EU citizens and those with long-stay visas will not need to register.
Once travelers register with the system, it will record their name, biometric data, date of entry and exit, and will even take facial scans and fingerprint data to be stored for three years. After this point, travelers will only need to use their fingerprint or photo at borders. This system will replace the current manual process of stamping passports at EU destinations, a nostalgic practice that will undoubtedly be missed by many travelers.
“The launch sets us a step closer in making the EU the most advanced travel destination in the world,” said Henna Virkkynen, Executive Vice President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. According to the European Commission, the EES is part of the EU’s Smart Borders package, and hopes to improve the management of the region’s borders with advanced technology and innovative solutions.
This package also includes the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) and Automated Border Control (ABC). Together the systems are meant to “facilitate a more efficient, secure, and convenient travel experience for all travelers to and from the EU.”
ETIAS – a system that will require non-EU travelers to obtain authorization prior to entering the Schengen Area – is slated to launch in late 2026. It’s not a visa, but a special permission that will also require a small fee. Those who obtain this permission can stay in the Schengen area for up to 90 days of a 180-day period, according to the official site of the European Union.
EES is part of a larger global effort to digitize travel security and monitoring practices that are still largely manual. More and more aspects of international travel are slowly becoming digitized with many airports now using facial recognition passport control kiosks and self-service check-in kiosks.
