US EditionConfirmed EES Start Date, and What It Will Mean for E-Gates
NORWAY, JUL 20 – The EU will replace passport stamps with biometric data collection for 700 million+ non-EU travellers annually to enhance border security and track overstays, officials said.
- The European Union will launch its Entry-Exit System on 12 October 2025, registering fingerprints and photos of third-country travellers at Schengen borders.
- This rollout follows years of delays and the European Council’s Justice and Home Affairs Council endorsement in October 2023, planning a phased introduction ending 9 April 2026.
- UK passport holders will require biometric registration on first entry and may use e-gates in some EU countries like Germany after technical updates are completed.
- The new ETIAS visa waiver, costing €20 but free for under-18s and over-70s, will start in the final quarter of 2026 and must be applied for online before travelling.
- These measures aim to boost border security, digitise travel records, and enforce the 90-day stay limit for UK and other third-country nationals in the Schengen Area.
23 Articles
23 Articles
EU Entry-Exit System Launches 12 October
Big Changes at the Border: The EU’s Entry-Exit System is coming… Holidaymakers and regular flyers, take note: a major shake-up at Europe’s borders is finally on the way. After years of delays and much speculation, the European Union has locked in 12 October 2025 as the launch date for its long-awaited Entry-Exit System (EES)—a project set to overhaul the way non-EU citizens… Source
Confirmed EES start date, and what it will mean for e-gates
Travel to Europe will change from 12 October when the EU launches its entry-exit system (EES). Britons are among the third-country travellers whose fingerprints and photographs will be taken for entry to the Schengen Area under EES. The phased roll-out of the system will continue until 9 April 2026, after which it will be in place across all Schengen countries. EES will replace the manual stamping of passports for short stays by third-country (n…
EU Confirms October 2025 Start for Biometric Border Checks as it Raises ETIAS Fee
Starting in October 2025, UK travellers heading to the EU will face new border checks as the European Union rolls out its long-delayed Entry/Exit System (EES). The system will introduce fingerprinting and facial recognition for non-Schengen nationals, including British passport holders, marking a significant shift in how the EU manages its external borders. Biometric Checks Begin October 12, 2025 The EES will begin on October 12, 2025, coincidin…
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