Europe's biometric border system is now fully operational
The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) became fully operational at every external Schengen border on 10 April 2026, completing a phased rollout that began in October 2025. Rather than stamping passports, border posts now register a non-EU traveler's travel-document data, facial image and fingerprints, and automatically track the 90-days-in-180 short-stay limit. It applies across 29 European countries to visa-exempt visitors and short-stay visa holders alike.
