A new entry system is now live across Schengen countries

Half a year after launch, the Entry/Exit System (EES) has become a mandatory part of entering 29 Schengen Area countries for third-country nationals arriving for stays of up to 90 days within a 180-day period who do not hold a residence permit or long-term visa.

The system, whose phased rollout began in October 2025, does away with manual passport stamps. Instead, biometric and passport data are now collected at the border: a facial photo, fingerprints, passport details, plus entry and planned exit information. The idea is that after the first registration, subsequent border crossings will be faster thanks to digital data verification.

However, that first pass through EES remains the most vulnerable step. Travellers need to register, provide biometrics, and enter the required data, which has already caused queues at a number of airports and ports during the system's rollout. For passengers, this has a very practical implication: it's now worth allowing more time for connections and border checks.

This matters especially given the summer season. During the phased rollout, not all arrivals went through EES, and airports had the option to pause registration when overloaded. The system is now mandatory for all passengers it applies to, so pressure on border infrastructure may increase. Airport operators estimate peak-hour border waits could reach up to 90 minutes.

At the same time, tools are already emerging to ease the burden. One is a mobile app for pre-registering data. It's currently available 72 hours before arrival in Portugal and Sweden, and provides a QR code for use at self-service kiosks. In Sweden it lets you upload passport details, a facial photo, and the entry form in advance; in Portugal, for now, only the entry form can be completed.

For tourists, business travellers, and other short-trip applicants, the takeaway for now is this: EES has already become the new normal for entering Schengen, but the process can't yet be called fast and fully seamless. In practice, this means it's worth checking before travel whether data can be pre-registered, and not counting on crossing the border the old way.