EU's New Biometric Entry System: What Non-EU Travelers Need to Know Starting Sunday

The European Union is implementing a new biometric entry system from Sunday that will transform how non-EU citizens, including British visitors, enter and exit the Schengen area.

This Entry/Exit System (EES) will eliminate manual passport stamping, replacing it with digital records that connect travel documents to individual identities through biometric data.

Non-EU travelers will need to register their personal information, fingerprints, and facial images upon their first entry into the Schengen zone—comprising all EU nations except Ireland and Cyprus, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

The data collection process will be introduced gradually at border checkpoints, with complete implementation scheduled by April 10, 2026. The EU authorities are confident this phased approach will prevent significant border delays.

The primary objectives behind this change include modernizing external border management, preventing illegal migration, combating identity fraud, and identifying individuals who exceed their authorized stay duration. The system will monitor compliance with the 90-day visa-free stay limit within any 180-day period.

For first-time arrivals in the Schengen area, travelers must scan their passports, register fingerprints, and provide a facial scan. Upon departure, their information will be verified against the EES database to confirm compliance with stay duration rules.

On subsequent journeys, only facial biometric verification will be required. Children under 12 will be registered in the EES but will only need their photograph taken. The EES registration process is free for all travelers.

These checks will occur at international airports, ports, train terminals, and road border crossings throughout the Schengen area. For travelers departing from the UK through the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone, or Eurostar terminal at London St Pancras, EES registration will be conducted by French border officials before departure.

The EU is implementing EES gradually to avoid significant disruption. Border authorities can temporarily suspend checks during periods of excessive processing times. At Dover and the Eurotunnel terminal, only freight and coach traffic will initially undergo EES checks starting October 12.

Passenger vehicle checks will be introduced at Dover in November and at the Eurotunnel by year-end. Eurostar plans to implement the new border procedures incrementally. The British government has advised travelers to allow additional time for their journeys as these new systems become established.

The Road Haulage Association has warned about potentially longer waits during busy periods. The real test will come during holiday travel seasons in Easter 2026 and the following summer when many families will experience the system for the first time.

EES precedes another system scheduled for late 2026—the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). Non-Schengen area citizens will then need to apply for ETIAS authorization before traveling, providing personal information and trip details along with a €20 fee.

This authorization will remain valid for three years or until passport expiration, whichever comes first. Since April, European visitors to Britain have already been required to purchase electronic permits in advance for their trips.