Travellers from non-EU countries, including India, must now comply with the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), which requires biometric registration—including fingerprints, facial recognition, and digital passport scans—at borders across the Schengen Zone.
Launched today, the EES replaces traditional passport stamping with a fully digital record of travellers’ biometric data and travel history. It applies to the 25 Schengen countries—such as France, Spain, Italy, and Germany—as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Ireland and Cyprus are exempt.
The EU says the system will enhance border efficiency, strengthen internal security, and help track visa overstays. Collected data—including names, facial images, fingerprints, and travel logs—will be stored for three years and may be accessed by border, visa, immigration authorities, local police, and Europol under strict regulations.
The phased rollout begins immediately at major UK departure points. At Dover, coach and foot passengers must use EES registration terminals, while Eurotunnel departures from Folkestone and Eurostar passengers from London St Pancras will face gradual implementation over the coming months.
Travellers must use self-service kiosks upon arrival to register biometric data. Refusal to provide a facial scan or fingerprints will result in denied entry. Children under 12 are exempt from fingerprinting.
Implementation timelines vary across the EU. In Germany, Stuttgart Airport will lead the rollout, followed by Frankfurt and other major hubs. While EES does not replace passport checks, it reduces repeated manual stamping, simplifying subsequent entries within a three-year period.
The system does not apply to EU citizens or nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Certain long-stay visa holders and exempt categories may also bypass full registration. Full implementation across all applicable locations is scheduled by April 10, 2026.
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