Starting on 12 October 2025, the European Union will introduce its long-awaited Entry-Exit System (EES), which will affect British travellers and all other non-EU nationals, including those from the United States, Canada, and Australia. The system is designed to improve border security, enforce the 90-day stay rule within a 180-day period, and create a digital record of each traveller’s entries and exits across the Schengen area. The Schengen zone covers most EU countries, except Ireland and Cyprus, along with Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland.
Under the EES, travellers will need to register their biometric data – including facial recognition and fingerprints – along with personal passport details at their first point of entry. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting. On later trips, travellers will confirm their identity through facial recognition at kiosks or modified eGates. Registration will remain valid for three years from the last interaction with the system.
The rollout will be gradual, lasting 180 days until April 2026. At the start, only a few entry points, such as Dusseldorf airport in Germany, will use the system, meaning many travellers may not immediately notice changes. During this transition, traditional passport checks and stamps will continue alongside biometric data collection.
EU passport holders will not be affected and will continue to use faster lanes. The system does not require advance preparation, and travel insurance will not be mandatory, though strongly recommended. Cruise passengers departing from and returning to the UK will generally be exempt, but those on cruises beginning or ending in Schengen ports will still need to register. Overall, the EES represents a significant shift in how non-EU travellers will be processed at European borders.
Original title: I am travelling to the EU on or after 12 October. What is changing?
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