If you are a British traveller planning to visit or transit
through the Schengen area, you may soon be affected by upcoming
European immigration requirements, including the Entry/Exit System
(EES) and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System
(ETIAS). This article explains the timing and impact of the EES for
travellers, businesses and UK transport terminals, as well as
providing an update on ETIAS.
What is the Entry and Exit System (EES)?
The EES will register all visa-free and visa-required travellers
entering the Schengen area for short stays.
Registration will not apply to citizens of Schengen member
countries, or to the two EU countries (Cyprus and Ireland) that are
not parties to the Schengen agreement. It will be a requirement for
British citizens travelling on a British passport unless an exemption applies.
If you need to register your details with the EES, no action
will be needed before your trip; registration happens at the
external border of any of the 29 European countries that are members of the Schengen area.
The EES will collect your facial image, fingerprints, travel
document data, and record the time and place of entry and exit. It
will also log any previous refusals of entry, including details of
the refusal. This will replace manual ‘wet stamping’ of
passports.
Using advanced technology, the EES will create a detailed travel
history, calculate the duration of your authorised stay, generate
alerts when your stay is due to expire and flag if you overstay. It
will improve border management, detect document and identity fraud,
and monitor unauthorised short stays. The goal of the system is to
make external borders stronger, smarter and more secure.
When is EES being rolled out?
If the EES applies to you, then starting from12 October 2025,
you will need to register your biometric information at border
crossing points when entering for the first time since the EES was
implemented.
You will also need to re-register every three years or when your
passport expires (if earlier).
The UK Government expects that this change will require a
significant adjustment for UK travellers to the Schengen area and
will be launching a public awareness campaign to help
British travellers and businesses prepare. Over the coming weeks,
Government social media channels, travel companies and websites
will be sharing messages to advise you how the EES changes will
affect you. Government guidance and the FCDO’s Travel Aware page will also
provide current information.
What are the main impacts of EES?
For travellers
There is a 90/180 day rule for British and other non-EU
visitors to the Schengen area. This limits presence in the
Schengen zone to a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period. The
EES will enable stricter enforcement of this rule by digitally
tracking entry and exit dates. Travellers will need to take care to
comply with this rule to avoid penalties or entry refusals, such as
not being permitted to re-enter the country.
Click here to use the short-stay visa
calculator, which can assist with monitoring presence in the
Schengen area and ensuring the 90/180 day rule is not breached.
The EES will streamline border checks and they should take no
more than 2 minutes per person, but you should be prepared for
potential delays, especially during the initial implementation
phase. It’s a good idea to bring food, water, plus any
necessary medication, as queues might be longer than usual.
For airline passengers, at larger hubs, you’ll be directed
to kiosks, much like those at US airports, to answer
multiple-choice questions, have your fingerprints captured, and a
photo taken. After that, you’ll proceed to the border as usual.
At smaller airports, your picture and fingerprints will be taken at
the border-control booth, and the questions will be asked by the
official.
For businesses
Businesses should consider:
- Reminding staff of the 90/180 day rule, noting that following
the introduction of EES, this will be routinely enforced; - Directly monitoring the presence of staff as visitors to the
Schengen area, to minimise the risk that a staff member may not be
eligible to travel to the area on business due to excessive
personal and business visits; and - Ensuring that the purpose and scope of business-related travel
to the Schengen area is actively monitored, and that appropriate
work permission is secured in advance of travel, if required.
For further information, see our earlier article here.
For transport terminals:
The European Commission, EU member states, local authorities,
and the travel industry are preparing ports for the EES. In the UK,
this includes funding of £10.5 million
for Eurostar St Pancras, Eurotunnel Folkestone and the Port of
Dover for registration kiosks and infrastructure.
Eurostar, Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover have installed
registration kiosks with the aim of making EES registration quick
and easy. Passengers will be required to follow the instructions on
the screen to scan their passport, provide biometric details and
answer four questions about their trip.
What’s the latest on the European Travel Information and
Authorisation System (ETIAS)?
The new European Travel Information and Authorisation
System (ETIAS) is a pre-travel authorisation system.
The EES is being introduced ahead of the launch of the European Travel Information and Authorization
System (ETIAS), which is a pre-travel authorisation system for
citizens of certain countries (including the
UK) who aren’t required to get a visa before visiting the
Schengen area. It’s similar to the American ESTA.
ETIAS is currently due to launch in the last quarter of 2026,
although this timeline could slip as it has been pushed back
before.
Once ETIAS becomes a requirement, it will apply to British
visitors unless a specific exemption applies.
If you are required to get an ETIAS authorisation, you’ll
need to apply online or via a mobile app, and your information will
be checked against EU security systems. You’ll need to provide
passport details and answer a series of questions, for example
about criminal records and medical conditions.
Most applications should be approved within minutes, but it
could take up to 30 days. An ETIAS authorisation will be valid for
three years or until your passport expires (if earlier), costing
€20 (£17.37) for those aged 18 to 70, and free for
others.
ETIAS will allow unlimited visits within its validity period but
is linked to your passport, so if your passport expires, you’ll
need a new ETIAS.
Frequently asked questions about ETIAS are
available here.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.
