Passport stamps in the Schengen Area are approaching the end of the line for many non-EU visitors. The EU’s new digital Entry/Exit System is designed to record border crossings more accurately, strengthen oversight, and modernize external border checks.
The EU’s long-planned Entry/Exit System is facing another delay, leaving many travellers unsure about when the new border checks will begin. Here is a clear overview of what the EES is, who it affects, and how it could change travel to the Schengen Area.
The EU’s long-planned Entry/Exit System is meant to modernize border control, but travel industry groups say uncertainty, weak public awareness and operational risks could still delay the rollout and disrupt tourism.
A new EU border regime is set to change how non-EU travellers enter France. For Britons with family, property or frequent stays across the Channel, the impact could extend far beyond a few extra minutes at passport control.
The EU's revised border-tech timetable made one point clear: ETIAS could not start on its own. Before travellers would need the new online authorisation, the Entry/Exit System had to be built and operating first.
The European Union is reshaping how non-EU visitors enter the bloc. New digital systems will combine biometric border checks, electronic travel approval and a fee structure that changes the travel process significantly.