What the EU's Entry/Exit System entails from October 12: Electronic records and biometric data collection of passengers

(Patria) - From October 12, the European Union's new, state-of-the-art border management system – the Entry/Exit System (EES) – will become operational, modernizing the management of the EU's external borders.

The introduction of new technology will ensure reliable border crossing data and gradually improve the passenger experience when entering the Schengen area. This system will replace the current method of operation, namely manual passport stamping, and enhance security through improved border controls, the use of electronic records, and biometric data.

The EES will process data at border crossings for passengers who are not citizens of any EU member state, nor citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland, when traveling for short stays (90 days in any 180-day period), each time they cross the external borders of any of the 29 European countries applying this system.

The data to be recorded will include information from the travel document, the date and place of each entry and exit, as well as biometric data such as facial images and fingerprints, which will be collected by passport control officers when the passenger first arrives at a border crossing after the EES becomes operational. This data will then be stored in a digital file and checked during subsequent border crossings.

The EES will ensure the highest standards of data protection and privacy. Records of entries and exits will be kept for three years from the date of creation, while individual files containing personal data will be kept for three years and one day from the date of the last exit.

The EES will be gradually introduced over a six-month period (from October 12, 2025, to April 9, 2026), allowing authorities, passengers, and carriers to adapt to the new digital border processes. Countries applying this system may introduce different elements in phases, including the collection of biometric data. It is also possible that the operation of the EES may be suspended in whole or in part at certain border crossings in exceptional circumstances, such as when traffic intensity causes long queues.

Overall, the implementation of the EES will make travel easier and safer for everyone. Over time, border crossings will become faster and more efficient, as processing times will be reduced, passenger flow management will be facilitated, and queues at terminals will be decreased.

Following the introduction of the EES, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is expected to become operational in the last quarter of 2026. This new system will also contribute to more efficient and faster border controls, reduced bureaucracy, shorter waiting times for passengers, improved security, and generally more efficient border management.

ETIAS does not reintroduce visa-like obligations. Passengers from countries that enjoy visa-free travel to the EU, including passengers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, will continue to travel without a visa. Citizens of non-EU countries who do not need a visa to travel to the Schengen area will apply for authorization before traveling through a simple procedure on the ETIAS website or mobile application, with a fee of currently 20 euros. Most applications will be processed within minutes. An ETIAS authorization will be valid for three years or until the expiry of the valid travel document, whichever comes first.

Detailed information on both systems can be found on the official website travel-europe.europa.eu. The content of the site is monitored by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, and the site provides explanations for various aspects of the systems, their functioning, as well as answers to frequently asked questions that may be useful to travelers.