EU Entry/Exit System (EES) – What you need to know
30 Sep 2025
Posted By Media team
The EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) is being introduced from Sunday 12 October.
Its implementation will be phased across border crossing points over the following six months – and will eventually replace the manual stamping of passports.
Most non-EU citizens – including British citizens – will need to register their biometric details (fingerprints and having their photo taken) when they enter or exit the Schengen area.
EES will be fully implemented by 10 April 2026.
Here is some information to help you and your colleagues plan for EES:
Registering for EES – what does it cost and what do you need to do in advance?
There is no charge for travellers for EES registration – any requests for payment to comply with EES are incorrect and/or fraudulent.
Travellers won’t have to do anything before arriving at their place of departure.
Registering for EES – the process
Travellers will be required to undertake EES registration the first time they cross an external Schengen border – follow arrival signs at ports.
At juxtaposed border crossings (Port of Dover, Folkestone and St Pancras), French Border Control will conduct EES in the UK before travellers board their ferry/train/shuttle.
Travellers who are in the Schengen area prior to EES implementation may be registered for EES on exit, depending on their departure port. They will not need to do anything to prepare for this.
Travellers will only have to create a full digital record on their first visit to the Schengen area – or if it’s three years since their last record creation (2028+).
Once a person is registered the process is quicker on subsequent visits.
Processes may vary at different points of entry.
What if travellers are a dual UK-EU citizen?
UK-EU dual citizens will be exempt from EES if they enter and exit using their EU passport. It is recommended that you carry both passports with you when travelling.
Is EES registration likely to cause disruption?
EES registration should only take around one to two minutes for each person to do, but they may lead to longer wait times at Border Control upon arrival in the Schengen area.
These are likely to vary from location to location and will depend on traveller volumes and processing capacities at ports.
At the juxtaposed border controls, registration will take a few minutes per passenger, prior to leaving the UK. This may lead to longer waits at busy times.
What happens if the technology or kiosks aren’t working?
Border agents will be able to manually complete all border checks, including EES.
Is there an app?
The EU has plans for a mobile app where travellers can upload some information ahead of travel to expedite EES processes at the border. However, it will be for each individual Schengen country to decide whether to make an app available, and is unlikely to be available for travellers to use when EES is first launched.
What EES means for the 90/180 rule
British citizens’ stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days – often referenced as the ‘90/180 rule’.
The 180 days are calculated as a rolling period which can be counted backwards from the entry or exit date to the Schengen area. EES will ensure stricter enforcement of the rule.
Regular travellers (including lorry and coach drivers on international work) should carefully track the time they’ve spent in the Schengen area to avoid breaching the limit – the rule applies holidays as well as work.
What happens if someone overstays the 90/180 rule?
Individuals overstaying the 90/180 day rule will be automatically identified by the system.
Border control is a matter for the relevant EU or Schengen country; however, travellers may be subjected to further enquiries by the border guard and could potentially be fined or refused entry, which means you will have to return to the UK.
A ban could be imposed of between 1-3 years.
Will there be EES requirements when travelling between Schengen area countries?
Travellers will be required to complete their EES registration on their first entry to and their final exit from the Schengen area. There is no requirement to complete EES when travelling within the Schengen area e.g. if you are travelling from Switzerland to France.
During the implementation period, you may experience different requirements when travelling in and out of the Schengen area, particularly at different ports.
Which countries are in the Schengen area?
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
The Republic of Ireland and Cyprus are not within the Schengen area, and therefore EES is not applicable when travelling to either of these countries.
More information on EES
F&CO summary: .