From Sunday, October 12, third-country nationals travelling to Europe will encounter a new, fully digital border control system. The Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace traditional passport stamps with biometric registration, including fingerprints and facial recognition.
According to the European Commission, the EES is designed to streamline border checks, enhance security, and improve migration management across the Schengen area. It applies to travellers who are not citizens of EU countries and who enter the Schengen zone for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period.
Every entry and exit will now be digitally recorded, reducing paperwork, preventing overstays, and enabling faster and more efficient border processing.
The main benefits of the EES include:
- Modern, automated border checks with self-service options.
- Shorter wait times and smoother travel across borders.
- Enhanced prevention of illegal migration using biometric data.
- Greater security and improved identification of criminal or terrorist risks.
The system is expected to become fully operational by April 10, 2026, though initial delays are likely. Australia’s Smartraveller website warns that while registration only takes a few minutes, travellers may experience longer queues in the early phase.
The new system will operate across 29 countries, including Greece, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, while Ireland and Cyprus will continue manual passport processing.
For Australian travellers, the rollout is particularly relevant: Australia maintains visa waiver agreements with multiple Schengen countries, including Austria, Germany, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. However, travellers planning longer stays should carefully check each country’s specific entry conditions.
