EES to be fully operational by April 2026

Europe’s long-awaited border registration scheme, the Entry-Exit System (EES), is expected to start its phased rollout on October 12th this year, while the system should be fully running on April 10th, 2026.

Third-country travelers entering the bloc will have to submit four fingerprints and a facial image, with an exception for children under the age of 12 who do not need to provide fingerprints, according to information published by EU-Lisa, the European agency in charge of large-scale IT systems.

The European electronic travel authorization system, ETIAS, on the other hand, will be implemented in the last quarter of 2026.

The EU has announced a price increase for the three-year travel permit to 20 euros (US$23.30), almost three times the original 7 euros ($8.15) price. Applicants under 18 or over 70 years of age, family members of EU citizens and family members of non-EU nationals who have a right to move freely within the EU are exempt from the payment.

Following an agreement earlier this year, the European Parliament approved the progressive start schedule for EES on July 8th, with the European Council formally adopting the law two weeks later.

According to the new rules, member states can implement the EES gradually over 180 days.  EU countries should all reach full registration, including biometric data, of all individuals in the EES by the end of the six-month period.

During the transition period, border authorities will continue to manually stamp travel documents. Member states are also allowed to fully or partially suspend the EES in exceptional circumstances, such as high waiting times.

The EU border agency Frontex has launched a “Travel to Europe” app promising to let passengers scan their passports and snap a selfie at home to speed up border queues. France is yet to confirm whether the app will be implemented at its borders, including at UK checkpoints such as London’s St Pancras railway station, Port of Dover and Folkestone, according to Connexion France. Meanwhile, some UK industry groups are already lobbying for EES exceptions.

RHA, the UK’s largest trade association for HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle), LGV (Large Goods Vehicle) and coach, says that the EES will have a “profound impact” on the country’s coach, haulage and live events logistics businesses.

The organization has called for an exception for professional drivers and visa-free arrangements for people working in sectors that rely on frequent, short-term movement across the EU.

Article Topics

biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  border security  |  digital travel  |  Entry/Exit System (EES)  |  Europe  |  identity verification