Today, April 10, 2026, marks the official date for the full implementation of the European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES). This milestone follows a progressive six-month rollout that began on October 12, 2025.
As of today, the system is now mandatory and fully operational across all external border crossing points in 29 participating European countries.
Manual stamping of passports for non-EU nationals is officially replaced by digital records. All first-time travelers under the new system must have their facial image and four fingerprints recorded at the border.
The system now automatically calculates and records the duration of stays to detect overstayers (those exceeding 90 days in a 180-day period).
The system applies at the external borders of the Schengen Area (excluding Cyprus and Ireland) plus Bulgaria and Romania: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
Non-EU Schengen Members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland.
While the system is “fully operational,” the transition is facing several real-world challenges. Major hubs, including airports in Paris and Amsterdam, have reported queues reaching up to two hours during peak traffic. Some member states are still addressing equipment malfunctions and “technical difficulties” with biometric kiosks. Travellers are encouraged to use the official mobile app to pre-submit passport data and photos up to 72 hours before arrival to save time.
The full activation of EES today is a prerequisite for the next step, the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System). ETIAS, a travel permit for visa-exempt nationals, is now expected to launch in the last quarter of 2026.
